The Australian who just days earlier celebrated his 16th birthday, came into the final round with a five-point lead in the series for Formula 4.
But the MP Motorsport driver’s weekend didn’t start ideally with a 20th grid position for the first race. Fortunately for him, the race was red flag whilst the field circulated for a safety car start due to the wet conditions.
Race 2 the following day was under bright and sunny skies. Grid positions were determined on the second best lap of Qualifying 2. Peebles started on pole and led throughout where he was able to build the lead on a couple of occasions only to be reeled in when the Safety Car was deployed on three occasions, the last which was still out when the race ended.
With the title still to be determined as they began the final race, Peebles was second on the grid. He was able to pass pole sitter Brit Nathan Tye into Turn 1 and led from there. Again, the race was neutralised three times by the Safety Car. His points margin in the end was 19 over Peruvian Andrés Cárdenas. Third overall was Poland’s Maciej Gładysz.
“I tried to manage the gap and the safety car restarts. The team gave me an amazing car, I was quick all weekend in the dry and I’m so happy to bring it home. I can finally relax and celebrate,” said Peebles who now sets his sights on the Spanish F4 Championship.
Fourth at the end of the series was Aussie Gianmarco Pradel. The US Racing driver started Race 2 seventh and moved to third before he spun off with less than 8mins to go and DNF’d. In the last he started 10th and picked up the final podium spot.
His teammate and fellow countryman Jack Beeton only contest the final two rounds and finished 10th of the 46 point scorers in the series. In Race 2 he started 32nd and placed 10th. Then he began the last out of 21st, made it to though to well inside the top 10. But contact with a rival after the last Safety Car cost him the front wing and he soldiered onto 30th.
Peter Bouzinelos had a best of the Australian’s starting spot of 11th for Race 1 which was subsequently abandoned. The MP Motorsport pilot was 15th on the grid for Race 2 and finished 20th, before he picked up eight places for 14th in the last.
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