Maltese racing driver Jacob Micallef continued his debut season in the Spanish F4 Championship with a determined performance during Round 3 at Motorland Aragón in Spain.
The 16-year-old, who races with Campos Racing, entered the weekend with confidence after securing his maiden pole position in the previous round at Portimão. Motorland Aragón was also a circuit familiar to him from the Spanish Winter Series earlier this year.
During official testing on Tuesday and Wednesday, Micallef showed strong pace and consistently placed inside the top five, setting a positive tone ahead of the race weekend.
However, qualifying proved more challenging. A compromised track position left him 12th for Race 1, while his second-fastest lap placed him 15th for the Sprint Race.
Race 1 ended early for the Maltese driver after contact on the opening lap forced him into retirement through no fault of his own.
Micallef responded strongly in Race 2, producing one of the standout drives of his weekend. Starting from 15th, he fought his way through the field to finish 7th overall and 3rd in the rookie category, securing another rookie podium.
Following the race, Micallef said it had been “a day of mixed emotions,” noting that the rookie podium reflected the team’s potential, while also pointing to the impact of a compromised qualifying session.
On Sunday, the level of competition remained extremely tight. Micallef again started from 15th for Race 3 and battled his way forward, briefly closing in on the top 10 before a small mistake dropped him back outside the top 20.
He continued pushing and recovered to finish 10th, ending the weekend inside the points.
Reflecting on the round, Micallef said he leaves Motorland Aragón relatively positive about the progress made, adding that he feels like a completely different driver compared with the first round of the championship.
The Maltese driver now heads into the summer break with valuable experience, stronger race pace, and another rookie podium added to his first Spanish F4 season.
Micallef thanked his team, coaching and management, as well as his sponsors Visit Malta, DMMG & Co., Enemed, Schuberth, SECTR Sports Management, and coach Theo Mercurius for their continued support.
