– Swedish rookie set for round two of F4 British Championship
– Fortec racer sits second overall after debut double podium
Joel Granfors is back behind the wheel of his Fortec Motorsport machine this weekend for round two of the F4 British Championship, with the 15-year-old Swede hoping to build on the heavy promise of last month’s season-opener.
Granfors delivered in style at Thruxton back in early May, making the podium in two out of three races on what marked his maiden weekend of international single-seater competition.
Signing an early letter of intent, Granfors left the curtain-raiser sitting second in the overall standings, 21 points behind sophomore racer and Fortec team-mate James Hedley.
This weekend sees the next chapter play out at Norfolk’s Snetterton Circuit, with Granfors keen to press on in an expanded grid of 18 cars.
Snetterton: entry list | track info
“I’m looking forward to getting back to racing,” says Joel Granfors. “It’s been a while, and I can’t wait. Snetterton is an interesting track with a lot of different corners. It’s actually where I first tested with Fortec in the winter, so it will be special to get back in race mode. The last sector is particularly tricky, I think. It’s easy to lock up the front right going into the last corner and that compromises the exit onto the main straight, making you vulnerable to overtaking.”
While Granfors delivered a fine debut to back up some pre-season hype, having won two championship titles in his native Sweden in 2020, he is well aware that contemplation is a formidable enemy in a sport where fractions of a second can make all the difference.
Work has duly continued apace, with one specific target area identified after the opening round.
“We had so many positives to take away from Thruxton, but the starts weren’t very good and that’s where we’ve put in some extra effort,” Joel Granfors admits. “We’ve had a day of testing to try and get on top of that, and I feel a lot more confident now with the whole procedure. Hopefully that will show this weekend – I’m really excited for it!”
British F4 action will get underway at Snetterton with a brace of practice sessions on Friday, followed by the customary qualifying showdown and three races across Saturday and Sunday.
Qualifying rules, points format and more: how British F4 works
British F4 is carried live and free-to-air on ITV4 in the UK alongside the BTCC. Streaming will not be available in other countries, but live timing links and reports will be posted at www.joelgranfors.com.
TIME TABLE – LOCAL TIME (UK)
F4 British Championship
Rd. 2 | Snetterton
Friday 11 June
Free Practice 1: 09.00-09.45
Free Practice 2: 13.40-14.25
Saturday 12 June
Qualifying: 09.05-09.25
Race 1: 13.25-13.45
Race 2: 17.20-17.40
Sunday 13 June
Race 3: 12.15-12.35
STANDINGS
F4 British Championship
After 1/10 rounds
1: James Hedley (GBR), 55 p.
2: Joel Granfors (SWE), 34 p.
3: Joseph Loake (GBR), 25 p.
4: McKenzy Cresswell (GBR), 22 p.
5: Zak Taylor (GBR), 20 p.
View full standings