Jun 18

Jun 18 Josh Smith takes Formula 4 SEA round victory despite off-track car accident

Australian Josh Smith has taken the overall victory in Round 4 of the Formula 4 SEA Championship — fueled by Petron - at Buriram International Circuit, with one race victory and three second-place finishes.

Smith said:

It was a perfect week for me, I finished in the top two in every race and this is obviously great for me,”
“In the last race, I didn’t have the pace but I’m still happy and now looking forward to the next round (in Madras, India).”

Josh Smith celebrates his Race 2 victory.

Championship leader Lucca Allen took the Race 1 and Race 4 victories, but a DNF in Race 2 cost him valuable championship points. Shihab Al Habsi took the top step in Race three, with Elias Seppänen hot on the tails of the leaders, finishing third in Races 2-4.

Josh Smith’s round win is his first this season, and comes despite the young Australian missing out on the Practice session. Smith recounted each race on Facebook, saying:

Race 1: The top 4 had a great battle with me ending up 2nd
Race 2: Reverse grid I was able to get to the lead and pull a small gap to win!!
Race 3: Reverse grid again I fought my way up to 2nd with the fastest lap of the race
Race 4: Started 5th and ended up finishing 2nd

Smith was also involved in a car accident on the way to the track before Qualifying, making his round victory even more remarkable. He is now third in the championship on 240 points, behind Lucca Allen on 271 points, and just two points behind Elias Seppänen on 242 points.

Six rounds remain in the South East Asian championship, which will return at Madras, India, July 12-14.