Max Karhan fought hard for his maiden victory in the F4 Central European Zone. He was in the top five all weekend at the Slovakia Ring, but saved his best drive for last.
Czech driver Max Karhan made his debut in F4 CEZ in the second half of last season. He joined the Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport and gained his first experience on the big circuits with Formula 4. He has been gradually getting faster and this year he was already thinking about the podium.
When he arrived at the Slovakia Ring – the third round of the season – he flashed the fourth best qualifying time. He was one step away from his dream podium in the first race on Saturday, but in the end he missed out on third place by just 0.1 seconds.
He started the second race from fourth place again and was once again in the leading group of drivers, where not an inch of asphalt was given away for free. Close battles, some minor contact here and there and frequent overtakes characterised the second sprint at the Slovakia Ring. Max Karhan started on older tyres and again finished fourth. He saved a fresh set of Pirelli tyres for the final sprint.
Max Karhan started the final race from the front row and immediately took the lead. Although he was overtaken shortly afterwards by Oscar Wurz, starting from fifth place, he did not let his Jenzer Motorsport teammate get away. Quite the opposite, he attacked him and looked for any opportunity to overtake. Jonathan Correrella took advantage of their duel and their joint drive to the finish turned into a spectacular show.
In the final stages of the race, Max Karhan made the winning manoeuvre and this time left Wurz behind for good. He crossed the finish line with a lead of 0.8 seconds and emotionally celebrated his first victory.
„This is a huge success for me and my career and I hope that more will follow. I’m already looking forward to more great battles on the track,“ said Max, who is the latest Czech to win an International Automobile Federation-certified Formula 4 race in five years. The last time it happened was in 2019 thanks to Roman Stanek in ADAC F4.
Max is part of the F4 Academy team, where he coaches and looks after the next generation of racing drivers. He is also an official representative of the Autoclub of the Czech Republic and is among the entries for the biennial FIA Motorsport Games. This year’s edition will be held in October at the Ricardo Tormo Valenciana circuit in Spain and Karhan will be competing in Formula 4 races there.
F4 CEZ Academy
The Academy offers young male and female drivers the opportunity to develop their careers in formula racing. The Academy provides a complete training programme including physical training, media training, simulator races and practical driving sessions with Tatuus T-421 monoposts. Participants not only have the opportunity to gain valuable experience and skills, but also to compete in the F4 CEZ Championship on discounted terms.
Formula 4 races
The junior Formula 4 car racing series serves as a gateway to the world of motorsport from the karting environment. Formula 4 was created in 2014 with the goal of creating an affordable and standardized platform for young racers. It provides thorough preparation for progression to the higher categories of Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1. F4 championships are held around the world with Tattoos T421 cars with engines of approximately 160-180 horsepower. The same technology gives a level playing field to all competitors and allows them to concentrate on improving their driving skills.
TEXT: Aleš Sirný
