JHR racer soaks up intense pressure to win reverse-grid contest at Knockhill.

Absolute classic in Fife, with positions changing lap on lap across the field.

Maloney seals Rookie Cup title, but concedes ground in the title race to Alvarez after damage.

Carter Williams put in a masterful drive to convert his reverse-grid pole position into victory in a hectic middle F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost race at Knockhill.

The JHR racer soaked up intense pressure from Double R Racing’s Sebastian Alvarez and team mate Josh Skelton for the entire race distance, eventually taking the chequered flag 0.6 seconds clear to register his third win in the past five races.

Carlin’s Zane Maloney wrapped up the Rookie Cup title courtesy of a twenty-first class podium of the campaign, but in finishing eighth overall after dropping back with damage has conceded valuable ground to Alvarez in the title race, the gap reduced from 47 to 33.

Polesitter Williams and Alvarez made a level start at the front, whilst Maloney initially seized third from Skelton with a superb move to the outside of Macintyres on the opening tour of the 1.27-mile Fife circuit.

The Bajan racer put pressure on Alvarez for the runner-up spot at Taylor’s Hairpin later that lap, but Alvarez remained unmoved, leaving Maloney to fend off Skelton.

Motorsport UK Academy member Skelton would not be denied a seventh successive trip to the rostrum, getting the switchback on Maloney through the Hairpin on the following tour to secure third into Duffus Dip.

The dispute over second and third had allowed Williams to establish some breathing space at the front but, with Alvarez now a clear second ahead of the dicing Skelton and Maloney, a fastest lap from the Mexican reduced the gap once again.

As Skelton began to look ahead to the lead battle, Maloney’s fortunes took a contrasting path.

Luke Browning (Richardson Racing) was the first to demote the points leader with a bold dive to the inside of Taylor’s Hairpin for fourth, with Arden’s Tommy Foster seizing the opportunity to follow Browning through and claim fifth.

Two drivers making tremendous progress through the pack – Double R’s Louis Foster and Arden’s Bart Horsten – were next to relegate the damaged Maloney, but back at the front the fireworks were about to begin.

A mistake from Alvarez at the Hairpin gave Skelton a better exit down the main straight, but the latter ended up with two wheels on the grass, lost momentum and had to concede third to a charging Browning on the run through Duffus Dip.

It didn’t take long for the positions to reverse, with Browning marginally wide through Clark’s and Skelton able to close back in before another trademark switchback at Taylor’s.

That proved to be the last of the action at the front, though Williams was kept honest to the end by Alvarez, a slender 0.6 seconds the gap at the flag.

Browning eventually took fourth, his best result since Snetterton, with Louis Foster rounding out the top five after a late pass on namesake Tommy.

Alex Connor (Arden) was seventh and winner in the Rookie Cup stakes after passing Maloney, with Bart Horsten ninth after a 10-second time penalty for a false start.

Horsten’s team mate and debutante Abbie Munro rounded out the top ten after coming out on top of a thrilling duel with Roberto Faria, Mariano Martinez (both Fortec) and Double R’s Reema Juffali.

Martinez and Juffali led that battle heading into the closing stages, but contact on the exit of Taylor’s sent the pair into the barriers, and Munro was able to pass Faria at the same corner a lap later to secure the final point.

The final race of the weekend is scheduled to get underway at 15:35, live on ITV4 in the UK, with Maloney on pole position.

Provisional Result – Race 2

Pos. Driver Team Time 1 Carter WILLIAMS JHR Developments 24 laps 2 Sebastian ALVAREZ Double R Racing +0.626s 3 Josh SKELTON JHR Developments +1.058s 4 Luke BROWNING Richardson Racing +4.131s 5 Louis FOSTER Double R Racing +5.452s 6 Tommy FOSTER Arden Motorsport +7.164s 7 Alex CONNOR (R) Arden Motorsport +7.501s 8 Zane MALONEY (R) Carlin +8.014s 9 Bart HORSTEN Arden Motorsport +14.566s* 10 Abbie MUNRO Arden Motorsport +34.576s 11 Roberto FARIA (R) Fortec Motorsport +34.705s DNF Mariano MARTINEZ Arden Motorsport DNF Reema JUFFALI Double R Racing

*denotes 10-second time penalty (false start).