LUKA SAMMALISTO FINISHED SECOND IN THE FORMULA 4 RACE AT MONZA!

17-year-old Luka Sammalisto had a strong weekend in Italian Formula 4 series at Monza, Italy, securing impressive finishes of 5th, 4th, and 2nd place in the three races.
– “The preparation for the Monza weekend followed the usual routine. I drove simulator sessions in Seinajoki, Finland under the guidance of Ossi Oikarinen and did mental training at Formula Medicine in Italy,” Luka explains.

The Monza event was expected to be challenging as there were 40 drivers in total, and the field wasn’t split into groups – everyone raced together. A poor qualifying would have meant a poor weekend overall.
– “We knew that we had to succeed in qualifying, so we built our plan around that. In free practice, we tested different setups for qualifying. In the first qualifying I was 5th, which was pretty good considering the red flags and the disruptions. The second qualifying was cleaner, and I was 4th. The second-fastest time earned me a third-place grid position for the third race.”

Across the three races of the weekend, Sammalisto proved he belongs among the frontrunners of the series, consistently battling for victory in the leading pack. In a field of 40 drivers, a lot happened on track, with frequent safety car interventions.
– “In the first race I got a good start, but three restarts behind the safety car shook things up a bit, and I finished 5th. The second race was similar, with a lot of laps behind the safety car, and I finished 4th. The third race of the weekend was a tough fight from start to finish. We were in a four-car pack heading into the final lap, and I managed to move up to second. It was great to end the weekend on the podium,” Luka adds.

Sammalisto’s season continues in early July with tests at Mugello. Preparation will include simulator training before tests as well.
– “At Mugello, we’ll be aiming for victory. I’ve got a few days off before that, so I can enjoy the Finnish summer for a moment,” Sammalisto concludes.