SMP Racing junior driver Michael Belov takes his maiden podium in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship

20 August 2019/ smp

SMP Racing junior driver Michael Belov took part in the fifth round of the ADAC Formula 4, which took place on August 16-18 at the Nürburgring in Germany.

Michael made his debut at the Nürburgring in this championship, driving for the French R-Ace GP team. He had time to learn the track only during practice sessions and was classified 11th, driving a lap of 1:28.981. His result was only 0.001s slower compared to the driver ahead and 0.797s to the leader. During the second practice session Michael improved his result to 1:28.090, which is almost a second better than his previous time.

The SMP Racing driver was tenth and eighth fastest among seventeen drivers during two qualifying sessions with a 0.6s gap from the leaders of the session.
Belov had solid races during the weekend as well. He finished all three races in the top ten. In Race 2 Michael managed to overtake six rivals on the wet track and earn the silver medal at the fifth ADAC Formula 4 round.

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 “The Nürburgring track is new for me, I have never driven here before,” SMP Racing driver Michael Belov said. “I had only two practice sessions to learn the track and get right car setups for the qualifying sessions. We achieved our goals, and in all three races I was able to finish in the top ten. In the first race I gained a couple of positions and finished sixth, in Race 3 I was classified eighth. In the second race it was raining, on the first lap I overtook three rivals and three more later and crossed the finish line second. I’ve really enjoyed driving in the ADAC Formula 4 series, I think that my SMP Racing coaches did the right thing, sending me there during the summer break. This is an additional and very valuable experience that will help me greatly in the final rounds of the Italian Formula 4 Championship."

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“After some discussions with the R-Ace GP team we made a decision that Michael will drive in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship,” Peter Aleshin, the director of the SMP Racing Junior program, added. “This team is quite new to this racing category, they need a fast and stable driver. Michael, in his turn, lacks knowledge of European tracks and European racing experience, so participation in this championship will certainly benefit him. And the results only confirm it: even though Michael has missed first rounds of the championship, we immediately took fifth place in the overall standings. This is a great result, taking into account that all the strongest teams from the Italian championship take part in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship. The next competition for Belov is the Italian Formula 4, where he drives the whole season."

The fifth round of the Italian Formula 4 Championship will take place at the Imola circuit on August 30 - September 1.
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