F4 UAE Season: Yas Heat Racing Academy back for final race

ON THE HOME STRAIGHT: YAS HEAT RACING ACADEMY HEADS BACK TO BASE FOR FINAL RACE OF F4 UAE SEASON
770Views
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 17 February 2023: Ahead of the final round of this year’s F4 UAE Championship, the Yas Heat Racing Academy team is gunning for glory on home soil after a positive run of results in recent weeks.

After rounds in Dubai and Kuwait, the team – led by the trio of starlets in Hamda Al Qubaisi, Matteo Quintarelli and Keanu Al Azhari – will return home to Yas Marina Circuit this weekend for the F4 UAE season finale. The final showdown follows a successful outing in Dubai in which the side captured its first podium finish of the season, with Al Azhari placing second in the last race of the fourth round.

Despite a challenging season the young side representing Yas Marina Circuit has grown in leaps and bounds from the team’s first races during #AbuDhabiGP weekend in November 2022. Its maiden season has been a period of learning, something which team principal, Matthew Norman feels will be invaluable when the team dusts off the cobwebs when it returns for the F4 UAE Trophy Round later this year.  

Norman said: “It’s been a very steep learning curve for the team and the drivers but as a new academy and a new team, we have certainly progressed and gelled together as one over the season, and we’re starting to see the fruits of our labour with results on the podium.  

“I can see we have the potential now to be fighting for those podiums as we come into the final round of the F4 UAE championship. It’s been a very enjoyable season, the drivers have learned a great deal and we’re looking forward to seeing how they progress through the ranks off the back of this positive season.”  

Following the exciting addition of Emirati star, Hamda Al Qubaisi, the extra firepower and experience has further united the entire garage and Yas Heat has steadily been overcoming hurdles to put the team within fighting distance of podium finishes to close out the year.  

Al Qubaisi commented: “I think right away from round one, we had pace with the car and we adapted well as the season went on. Going on to Kuwait, it was a new experience for the whole team with a new track but I was really happy to secure a P7 there and we adapted well to the track. The team works really hard to change the car and work towards getting the ideal car for each driver.  

“It’s an incredible feeling to represent my country here at home in Abu Dhabi, and it’s nice to be sleeping at home this weekend! My family will be there for the final races and I’m really excited for this weekend.”  

The young duo of Keanu Al Azhari and Matteo Quintarelli have shown impressive racing abilities on track across the five-round season, with a recent uptick in form including Al Azhari’s P2 finish last weekend, and the drivers are gearing up for a big showing at home on Yas Island starting on Saturday.

Quintarelli said: “It was a big learning curve being the first season in F4 for myself and the team. I’ve definitely gained a lot of experience with the team, and we’ve grown together across the season. I think this weekend will be a big one for us as we close out the year at home in Yas Marina Circuit.”

Al Azhari added: “We’ve made a huge amount of progress across every race this year, we keep driving ourselves forward and we’re finding new ways to improve every weekend which is positive.

“Last weekend’s P2 in Dubai was an honor to put the team on the podium for the first time in our debut championship season, especially with such a strong grid. We’ve definitely got the pace for a great result this weekend so let’s see if we can get ourselves on that top step.”  

The Yas Heat Racing Academy’s circuit team will round out its debut F4 UAE season this weekend at Yas Marina Circuit as part of an international motorsports festival, with the iconic track set to host the biggest ever Asian Le Mans grid as well as the final race of the inaugural Formula Regional Middle East Championship (F3) from 17-19 February.  

For more information on the exciting action heading to the Yas Island track, please visit: https://www.yasmarinacircuit.com/en/motorsports