Armstrong ready to step up in Formula 4

Christchurch teen Marcus Armstrong is ready to do battle for the Italian Formula 4 title as the championship arrives in Monza for the final round.

Armstrong, 16, has been contesting both the Italian and German F4 titles, and briefly led both. He was narrowly pipped at the final round of the German series by his own team-mate, Juri Vips.

“It was very disappointing at the time, but I had to put that behind me and focus on this goal so I’m mentally and physically prepared to go out at Monza and win this thing,” he said.

In Germany, Armstrong had carried a narrow lead into the final weekend but Vips snatched the win in the final race simply by sticking close behind the flying Kiwi.

“There was nothing I could do. This weekend is different,” said a determined Armstrong.

The title is not a certainty, but Armstrong says he knows what to do. With a 53 point gap to second-placed Job van Uitert of Holland, the Kiwi driver must focus on perfecting his qualifying performance and then keep his car in front of the Dutch driver over the final three races.

“The Italian Championship seems to like me better. The car is more like the one I raced with in this year’s Toyota Racing Series back in New Zealand, and I like Monza, it’s a great circuit, one of the best,” he said.

Marcus Armstrong is the first New Zealander to be inducted into the elite Ferrari Driver Academy, which has produced a steady stream of top Formula One. World Endurance Championship and touring car drivers over the years since it was established in 2009.

The Academy has brought international drivers to New Zealand to race in this country’s Toyota Racing Series since 2011, and won the series with Lance Stroll (now racing in Formula One with the Williams Team) in 2015.

There are three races at Monza for the Italian F4  title this weekend: