FILIPINO race stars Gabe Tayao and Angie King, despite being F4 first-timers, did not disappoint fans this past weekend at the Formula 4 Southeast Asia Championships in Clark International Speedway.
Launched worldwide just this year, Formula 4 is now regarded as the stepping stone to Formula 1.
Headed by Triple A Group, the Formula 4 Southeast Asia series in particular is on the lookout for Asian talents, who have strong potential to make a name in formula single-seater racing.
Backed by Car Porn Racing, Victoria Court, Seaoil, DC, Gold’s Gym, Foilacar and Y2 Hotel, the 16-year-old Tayao gave the country a total of six awards in his F4 debut— one 1st place, two 3rd place, two rookie winner awards and capped it off with 3rd overall honors.
Tayao’s feat stamps his place in history as not only the youngest Filipino to race in F4, but also as the first Filipino F4 race champion. On the other hand, seasoned drifter and car enthusiast Angie King was able to maintain a steady pace throughout the five races, contributing a 3rd place win to the country’s trophy haul.
Much to the delight of the crowd , the Filipino duo proved that they were indeed excellent rain drivers totally in control of their car while the rest of the grid struggled with the extreme rainy conditions.
The series heads off to Indonesia in November and Malaysia in December.