The penultimate round of the Formula 4 Spanish Championship took place this weekend at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. In their home race, GRS faced several challenges that prevented the team from achieving the expected results.
On October 18–19, Circuit Ricardo Tormo hosted the sixth event of the Formula 4 Spanish Championship season. For GRS Team, the penultimate round was their home race: a special event for the team, where luck and results were not on its side, but one that serves as motivation to keep improving.
The GRS driver lineup for this event featured Aleksandar Bogunovič, coming off his best weekend of the season in Jerez. Alongside the Slovenian driver was Yani Stevenheydens, who rejoined the team after having competed in three EuroCup-3 rounds with GRS earlier this year.
Friday was dedicated to collective testing ahead of the race weekend. The three sessions allowed the team to fine-tune the car setup and extract the best possible performance going into the competitive sessions. As is customary in the Formula 4 Spanish Championship, the day highlighted the extremely tight gaps across the field -with several drivers separated by mere thousandths of a second- as well as the importance of staying within track limits.
Saturday’s action began with the final preparatory session: free practice. It was followed by the first qualifying session, where the team faced several setbacks, particularly with the condition and performance of the tyres. Aleksandar qualified P31, while Yani secured 33rd position.
In the race, the team’s fortunes didn’t improve. Both drivers made strong starts and gained positions in the opening laps, with Stevenheydens fighting on the edge of the Top 20. Unfortunately, Bogunovič was forced to retire after an incident with another driver, who closed the door on the Slovenian as he attempted an overtake on the inside. Only a few minutes later, Stevenheydens also joined the list of retirements after a defensive move under braking made by a rival damaged the Belgian driver’s front wing.
After a difficult Saturday, Sunday began with the second qualifying session. The team showed clear signs of improvement, especially in the case of Stevenheydens. The Belgian driver was just six tenths off pole position. Unfortunately, that lap was only enough to secure 21st place, while Bogunovič qualified 33rd.
In Race 2, Stevenheydens delivered a spectacular comeback. Starting from P28 on the grid, Yani showed highly competitive race pace and gained ten positions to finish in 18th place. Bogunovič was also making progress through the field until, while battling with a rival, contact caused damage that forced car Nº. 70 to retire.
Finally, in Race 3, Stevenheydens had a strong opportunity starting from 21st on the grid. He made a good start, breaking into the Top 20. After a challenging race spent battling in the midfield, the Belgian crossed the line in a solid 16th position. Bogunovič faced a tougher race, caught in the lower-group fights, though he also managed to gain positions. A track limits penalty ultimately affected his final result, placing him 28th.
We leave behind a weekend full of difficulties, in which the team was unable to meet its goals, but also one that provided valuable data and positive insights heading into the season finale. Every team member delivered excellent work, and we remain confident that, by continuing in this direction, the results we aim for will come.
Formula 4 Spanish Championship will return on November 15–16. As usual, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the season finale, where we will aim to end a challenging 2025 campaign on a high note.
