XCEL MOTORSPORT EXPANDS F4 PROGRAM TO SPANISH F4 CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2019

F4UAE Champions Xcel Motorsport will expand their open-wheeler operation to Europe this season, entering the Spanish F4 Championship for the first time with a three-car team.

Having already developped a heavy racing footprint with karting in Europe, the Dubai-based racing team will now take their F4 cars and equipment to Spain in time for the season opener in early April, running Omani frontrunner Shihab Alhabsi as lead driver for the full season.

Xcel Motorsport recently won the triple crown of titles in the 2019 F4UAE Championship, including the drivers and rookie titles with Italian Matteo Nannini, plus the teams championship. Additionally, Alhabsi also finished third outright in the drivers championship and contributed to the 10 race wins, 4 pole positions and 29 podium finishes achieved, making the 2019 season Xcel Motorsport’s most successful in three years of F4UAE competition.

“We wanted to race in Europe last year but this extra year of racing in F4UAE has proven to be very successful and definitely the extra experience we needed in running a larger operation before going to Europe,” said team manage Paul Hardy.

“It’s the right time for us now to go over, and the Spanish F4 Championship is a good introduction for us to get into the European market. Shihab has done a great job racing with us in F4UAE and to have him part of our team in Spain will be great in giving him continuity with his support team and engineers too. It’s all of those smaller things that are really important to these young racers and hopefully it will be a good year for us.

"We’re well aware of how competitive it is over there, and we’ve had three solid years of F4UAE that will hopefully be great preparation for us. Even though that’s only a short amount of time compared to some teams in Italy and Germany, the Spanish Championship suits where we are and hopefully we can help bring rookies back to the UAE next season before moving up through other F4 championships.”

With two seats available, expressions of interest are welcomed for drivers wishing to race with Xcel Motorsport in the Spanish F4 Championship. For more information please contact Paul Hardy on paul@xcelmotorsport.com