Zachary ‘Zach’ David delivered his best result to date in the 2024 Formula Regional Middle East Championship certified by FIA (FRMEC) when the series visited the Yas Marina Circuit for Round 4. The Malta-licensed Filipino driver went on to qualify in P2 and delivered a pair of 3rd place finishes last February 9/10.
Driving the #20 R-ace GP entry, Zach was amongst the front-runners in testing and even set the fastest time in Free Practice. He carried this pace into Qualifying and only missed out on pole by 0.137 secs during the first session and ended up P3 in the second outing.
With a good setup and full confidence, Zach began his charge in Race 1 on Friday afternoon. The 16-year-old moved up a spot at the start and slotted into P4. But with 29 closely-packed drivers sharing a 5.282 km track, overtaking proved to be difficult. Zach later decided to side with caution to ensure he made it to the finish with 4th place intact.
Chaos in the opening stages of Race 2 gave Zach an opportunity to promote himself up the standings. Lining up P7 on the grid, he immediately gained a place before the first Safety Car period. As the lead drivers got crossed up during the restart, Zach found himself in P4 and made a brave move in the closing stages to earn a spot on the podium and take the chequered flag in 3rd.
Now starting from the second row of the grid, Zach stayed close to the leaders and held position. However, he had to defend his position from a hard charging Mari Boya of Pinnacle Motorsport after the Safety Car restart. Despite running on older tires, the lone Filipino driver on the grid was able to keep the Spaniard at bay and secure another 3rd place at the finish.
A stellar weekend at Yas Marina has allowed Zach David to climb to 7th in the Overall Driver’s Standings and 4th in the Rookie Cup. There’s only one round left in the 2024 Formula Regional Middle East Championship, giving David one last shot at making his mark in the series on the 16th to 18th of February at the Dubai Autodrome.
Zach David: “Overall a much better weekend than the last. Made the most of all three races and now look to do the same next week for the final round at Dubai.”
Zach David is sponsored by Ceramic Pro, KAVACA / ION PPF, Stilo Helmets, Attard Baldacchino, Exoshield and Ceramic Pro Express, with support from Pet One Petfood, FB Hout, Everpower, Green Amenities, JG Summit Olefins Corporation, Ravenol Philippines, AutoPlus Sports, Time Attack Manila, ISR, Keys School Manila, 3CX, Petron Corporation, and Malta Motorsports Federation.
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[Photos courtesy of Dutch Photo Agency]
