IndyCar Series
Will Power has moved to the top of the 2022 IndyCar Series standings after securing his second podium of the year.
 
With the series holding the fifth round of the year at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course for the GMR Grand Prix on the weekend, Power finished the 75-lap race in third place.
 
It was a bit of a lucky finish for the Queenslander as he was placed fourth in the final stint of the race, until then race leader and three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin spinning after catching water on the track surface.
 
The spin demoted McLaughlin to 20th, while Power moved up to third to pick up his equal best result for the year – finishing behind winner Colton Herta and Simon Pagenaud.
 
Despite the fortunate promotion in the final stages, Power was highly deserving of the podium having shown pace all weekend, which included pole position after qualifying.
 
McLaughlin wasn’t the only one to lose a significant number of points in the race, with Alex Palou, who was the series leader heading into the round, finishing in P18.
 
Due to his podium finish and the tough results of Palou and McLaughlin, Power leapfrogged both drivers to move to the top of the standings with 14 points now separating him and the Spaniard.
 
The event served as a dress rehearsal for the most iconic event on the IndyCar annual calendar, with the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 to take place at ‘The Brickyard’ on 29 May.
 
French F4 Championship
Hugh Barter extended his lead in the French F4 Championship over the weekend thanks to two light-to-chequered flag victories at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.
 
Barter was by far the quickest driver throughout the field as he qualified in pole position for both race one and three, with more than three tenths the difference on both occasions.
 
Although he never built a comfortable lead in either race, Barter was never truly troubled as he beat Vayron Elliott to the finish line on both occasions – race one by two tenths and race three by two and half tenths.
 
While he did enjoy two race wins, unfortunately it was far from a perfect weekend for Barter as he crashed at the start of the round’s second race where he started towards the back due to the reverse grid rule.
 
Despite the setback, Barter still came away with an advantage bigger than the one he entered the round with, after his biggest title rival in Arao Souta failed to finish the final race.
 
It’s a long break now for the championship with the next round to take place at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 28-29 July, with Barter to contest the Spanish F4 Championship at the Circuito de Jerez on 28-29 May inbetween.



ADAC Formula 4 Championship
James Wharton’s good work in the previous round of the German championship has been undone after a disappointing weekend behind the wheel.
 
Taking place at the famous Hockenheimring, Wharton would have entered the round full of confidence after a big season opener last month where he picked up a podium.
 
Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out as he would have liked though despite having posted two decent qualifying runs with sixth and seventh respectively.
 
In race one, Wharton finished in P18, while he retired in the third race of the round.
 
He did manage to score some points though after finishing P6 in the second race.
 
The German championship now heads to Zandvoort for round three in June, while Wharton’s will again be in action early next month as part of the Italian F4 Championship at Misano World Circuit on 3-5 June.  


 
European Le Mans Series
The second round of the 2022 European Le Mans Series season proved a race of recovery for Algarve Pro Racing Australian teammates Alex Peroni and James Allen.
 
With American John Falb once again racing alongside the two Aussie teammates in the #47 Oreca LMP2 for the four-hour endurance race at Imola Raceway, the trio would have been hopeful of bouncing back after a tough opening round.
 
Peroni gave the team plenty of confidence of being on the right track after he topped the time sheets in both practice sessions, while Flab went third fastest in the bronze licence holder testing.
 
Sadly, the Tasmanian wasn’t able to replicate his practice pace and put the car in P7 during qualifying, however their difficulties didn’t stop just there.

Losing more positions in the opening stages of the event, the team were down a few laps early, however the trio went in damage control and tried their best to recover as they finished in the top half of the 42-car field.
 
The series stays in Italy for the third round of the season with Monza to host another four-hour race on 3 July.