Young Jordan-based Iraqi driver Ali Akabi continued his early footsteps into the Formula 4 South East Asia (SEA) Championship with four podium finishes in the rookie category in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rounds of the series at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit at the weekend.
The 15-year-old followed up his initial foray into the series two weeks before with a consistent weekend’s performance that saw him finish sixth overall and second of the rookies in the fourth race.
Akabi said: “I maximised my points for the championship and brought home four podium finishes. It was a great weekend. Next up in Thailand in a couple of weeks and I am confident that we can improve from here onwards.”
Irishman Lucca Allen led from pole position and held off Australian Josh Smith to win the weekend’s opener with Finland’s Elias Seppanen in third place and then claiming his first win of the season in the second race.
Allen went on to claim the win in the third of the weekend’s races from Smith and Indian driver Arya Singh. Akabi was classified in eighth overall and third of the rookies behind Seppanen and Malaysia’s Amer Harris.
Smith topped the standings in the last of the Malaysian races and held off the challenge from Seppanen and Allen to claim the win. Akabi was an impressive sixth overall and second rookie behind the flying Finnish race runner-up.
Support for Akabi’s race programme comes from the Al-Hokair Group, ALMCO, and Amwaj. He also received backing from the Movenpick Hotel and Convention Centre KLIA. The Formula 4 South East Asia (SEA) Championship continues with races 9-12 of the 40-race programme at Buriram in Thailand on May 10-12.
