NICOLE HAVRDA
X

Shanghai F1 Academy Race Weekend

Qualifying
Nicole Havrda was left with mixed emotions after Qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit. The young Canadian found herself P12 at the chequered flag. 

“I have mixed feelings. I’m disappointed in the position, but very happy with the improvements the team and I made in qualifying – especially after I struggled in FP1,” she said.

“I probably put a lot of pressure on myself since I normally drive a Formula 3 car. However, there is a definite difference between the F3 and F4 car. This was only my 6th day of driving an F4 car and the driving style is so different. I’m learning more each lap and improving.

“My goal was top ten, but [even with P12] thanks to all the work by the American Express Hitech team, I’m in the hunt and I believe I can get there in tomorrow’s race.”

Qualifying Results

  1. Maya Weug
  2. Doriane Pin
  3. Alba Larsen
  4. Chloe Chambers
  5. Alisha Palmowski
  6. Joanne Ciconte
  7. Emma Felbermayr
  8. Nina Gademan
  9. Tina Hausmann
  10. Chloe Chong
  11. Ella Lloyd
  12. Nicole Havrda
  13. Rafaela Ferreira
  14. Aurelia Nobels
  15. Courtney Crone
  16. Aiva Anagnostiadis
  17. Wei Shi
  18. Lia Block*

*Lia Block did not qualify due to FP crash damage, but will start the race.

Race 1
There were even more mixed feelings for Nicole after an eventful Race 1, ultimately ending in heartbreak for the Canadian driver.

As the lights went out, Nicole made a good start, quickly moving up from her 12th place starting position into 10th. However, before the race had completed a single lap, the safety car was brought out for Nicole’s teammate Shi Wei. The Shanghai Wild Card driver had spun and beached her car at Turn 7.

Racing resumed on lap five and Nicole was comfortably holding P10 but a second safety car appearance was triggered that same lap, after Lia Block made contact with her teammate Aurelia Nobels’ rear. This sent Nobels spinning out of the race, with a broken rear suspension.

Green flag racing resumed on Lap 8, but the drama wasn’t over. On cold tires, Chloe Chong left her braking too late and ran into the back of Nicole’s American Express car, sending Nicole’s left drive shaft flying across the track. While Chong received a 10-second penalty for the incident, Nicole’s race was over. Up to that point, Nicole was looking strong and a top 10 finish was, on her F1 Academy debut, was well within reach.

After the accident, Nicole reflected on the race: “The car was feeling great. Starting from P12 wasn’t easy but I was quickly up to P10,” she said. ““My restart after the second safety car wasn’t great, but it was still good. However, I was rear ended into Turn 1 and that was it.“

She continued, “It really hurts but you can’t control everything. The pace was definitely there and the car was awesome. It is what it is and no one was hurt. I can’t thank the Hitech team enough and we’ll be ready to go for Race #2.”

Race 1 Results

  1. Alisha Palmowski
  2. Chloe Chambers
  3. Maya Weug
  4. Doriane Pin
  5. Rafaela Ferreira
  6. Ella Lloyd
  7. Alba Larsen
  8. Aiva Angnostiadis
  9. Lia Block
  10. Chloe Chong
  11. Emma Felbelmayr
  12. Courtney Crone
  13. Tina Hausmann
  14. Joanne Ciconte
  15. Nina Gademan
  16. Nicole Havrda
  17. Aurelia Nobels
  18. Wei Shi

Race 2
The second race of the weekend was a slightly shortened contest. Oil on the right-hand side of the grid meant two formation laps behind the safety car and a rolling start. Unfortunately, for several drivers, including Nicole, the race was shortened even more, lasting less than one heartbreaking lap.

Chloe Chong, who had been penalized for hitting Nicole from behind in the previous race, did it again – and was penalized again. This time the car of Joanne Ciconte was the victim. Chong made an aggressive move to the inside, clipping Ciconte’s rear and sending her spinning. As Nicole tried to avoid the spinning car, she was sandwiched between Ciconte and the car of Aurelia Nobels, who was also trying to avoid the chaos. Nicole’s car sustained damage to both front corners. All three drivers were out on the spot.

Nicole later said, “We’ve had two DNFs in the first two races. It’s sooo painful, because we couldn’t control the situations. But that’s racing.”

“Lesson learned. I need to improve in qualifying and be ahead of the pack. I know I can fight at the front.

“I have to thank my new and amazing Team Hitech. They’re incredible. Especially considering the amount of damage that was unwillingly caused.”

Nicole and the team now prepare for the next race in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in four weeks.

Race 2 Results

  1. Doriane Pin
  2. Maya Weug
  3. Chloe Chambers
  4. Alba Larsen
  5. Emma Felbelmayr
  6. Alisha Palmowski
  7. Ella Lloyd
  8. Rafaela Ferreira
  9. Lia Block
  10. Nina Gademan
  11. Chloe Chong
  12. Courtney Crone
  13. Aiva Angnostiadis
  14. Wei Shi
  15. Tina Hausmann
  16. Joanne Ciconte
  17. Nicole Havrda
  18. Aurelia Nobels