Ruhaan makes a strong debut in GB4 with two P7 finishes in points
Oulton Park (UK), 8 April 2023: Indian racing star Ruhaan Alva made a strong debut, a Baptism by fire, in the British GB4 Championship finishing in the top 10 twice as he returns to racing in the European circuits at Cheshire’s Oulton Park where the Round 1 concluded on Sunday.
He did suffer an unfortunate mechanical issue that pulled him down in Race 2 but is confident to come back stronger. “I am eagerly looking forward to getting back in the car,” Ruhaan, who is sponsored by JK Tyre and backed by Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation, said.
A grid of 15 aspiring single-seater stars of the future assembled at Oulton Park for the start of the new GB4 season last weekend. Three different winners from the season opener suggest another wide-open season is in store, and you can watch all the action again here. Ruhaan Alva did a commendable job and showed enough pace which is expected to improve further as works with his engineers on the car set-up ahead of Round 2 in May. You can watch the Round 1 races here.
The Bengaluru teenager started from P9 in his Tatuus F4 T014 #27 car and managed a creditable seventh in the first race after showing admirable pace in his very first race on debut in the GB4 series. Later, due to some issues he logged a DNF after his anti-fog seal broke and filled up his visor leading to a blind drive behind the safety car that caused contact with a car in front of him, and his race ended abruptly. However, the 16-year-old came back strongly in Race 3 on Sunday for another point finish in the top 10, taking seventh place again in the 15-car grid, 14 of them new for the season like Ruhaan. The Indian will take part in all 21 races over 7 weekends and will use this as a platform to get into bigger things like FIA Formula 3.
“It was a great experience with a lot of learning for me,” said Ruhaan after the race weekend. After initial hiccups in qualifying, he saw that despite an issue with the floor which was dragging on the ground, Ruhaan managed a decent lap to get a P9 position. In Race 1, he did launch nicely off the line and after a comfortable race, he was left with a bit of defending which he did admirably to keep the drivers behind him in check and took a creditable seventh among many racers who had a better saddle time and experience on the circuit.
Race 2, did not go according to expectations. It was raining heavily and most of the race ran behind the Safety Car. The anti-fog seal of Ruhaan’s helmet broke leading to the visor getting filled up with water which caused complete fogging. “I was driving blind under the safety car. The car in front of me braked hard, and I couldn’t see him,” revealed Ruhaan about the conditions that forced him to make a contact. It did damage his front wing and the Master Cylinder that holds the brake fluid resulting in an unfortunate DNF in Race 2.
The talented Indian karting champion, who graduated from Formula Cars, won the IRL league recently for his team. In Race 3, he was pretty confident and had fun racing, with a lot of battles on a drying track. The pace was decent but he got stuck behind a slower car in the initial stages which caused him to drop back a bit. Once he was able to pass the slower car, Ruhaan was able to climb up the order making two passes on the last lap and once again took a decent P7. “We had a few issues with the engine throughout the weekend and the team is working on it for the next round in the first week of May. I am confident to come back better equipped,” was the parting shot of Ruhaan, son of former Indian rally star Umakanth Alva.
