Michelle Jandová makes mark in formula 4 debut

Michelle Jandová experienced her first race weekend in Formula 4 at Balaton Park with the SAPE Motorsport team. This young lady from the Czech Republic is a member of the F4 CEZ Academy, which facilitated her transition from karting to the intensity of Formula 4 racing.

Michelle began the weekend in Hungary with enthusiasm. Speaking about her initial experience, she noted, „Well, certainly compared to the simulator, which I used a lot, this track is completely different.“ The first training session presented a particularly tough set of conditions. „Certainly, the track was very dusty. After the first training, people were spinning off the track, as it was really slippery. But as more sessions came, the grip improved significantly.”

Michelle qualified 13th, but she knew there was room for improvement: “For me, the qualification could definitely have been better, but I took my best time so far and it was the first time I was on new tires.“

The anticipation of the first race brought a mix of nerves and excitement. Michelle described her pre-race nervousness vividly, „I’m very nervous, but I know exactly what to do. The plan is definitely the simplest: go forward, get another position, take what we can, improve and fight,” said Michelle before Race 1, which was also her most successful. She finished tenth, behind her teammate from SAPE Motorsport, Marek Mičík. She not only scored her first points but was also the best among the other two young ladies on the grid, Kornelia Olkucka and Michalina Sabaj.

Michelle did not finish the second race after running off in the opening lap, and in the third race of the weekend, she encountered technical difficulties just before the finish. However, her impression of F4 CEZ was overwhelmingly positive. With her sights set on the rest of the season, Michelle is optimistic about her journey in Formula 4. „The rest of the season is still in its infancy, but I definitely want to continue in F4. I really like the concept of these races; it’s professional,“ she explained.