Since its inaugural season in 2015, a number of large names in motorsport have kick-started their careers successful races within the British F4 championship.
Future F1 drivers Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Logan Sargeant and Jack Doohan. IndyCar racers Colton Herta and Linus Lundqvist. All of them first tasted single-seater success within the sequence.
However even with the pedigree of all these names, not a single considered one of them was capable of obtain what Deagen Fairclough managed to on this 12 months’s championship.
Over the course of this season, the 18-year-old has not simply set data, however obliterated them. Heading into 2024, Jamie Caroline and McLaren junior Alex Dunne collectively held the document for probably the most race wins within the championship’s historical past with 11 victories. This 12 months alone, Fairclough received 14.
However merely being on the grid to start with was an enormous achievement for Fairclough. When he reached the tip of his karting profession, his final dream of racing in Method 1 appeared to have died with it. His working-class dad and mom couldn’t merely pull cash out of skinny air to assist fund him right into a drive in Method 4 or one other single-seater class. Nonetheless, they nonetheless managed to search out him a possibility to race – albeit within the underappreciated Junior Saloon Automotive Championship, a far cry from the highway to Method 1.
Then got here a singular alternative. Fairclough received a simracing competitors organised by British F4 title sponsors ROKiT on Assetto Corsa, successful a fully-funded seat for the 2023 championship. Racing with the JHR Developments crew, Fairclough instantly proved he deserved to be on the grid. He ended his rookie season comfortably third within the championship, taking three victories within the ultimate ten races.
His apparent expertise led ROKiT to determine to assist him past that first season. Shifting to Hitech for this season, Fairclough was untouchable. Fourteen victories, seven pole positions, 579.5 factors. Sealing the title with greater than a spherical to spare, Fairclough ended the season final weekend at Manufacturers Hatch, now statistically probably the most profitable British F4 driver in historical past. Not unhealthy for a driver who had been racing a Ford Fiesta lower than two years prior.
“I’ve had so many individuals say it’s not doable to get to F1,” Fairclough tells RaceFans, mere minutes after climbing out of his automobile at Manufacturers Hatch after successful his thirteenth victory of the season.
“My mum and pa – they’ve all the time stated ‘throw that dream out the window and let’s goal one thing extra achievable’. So once I was racing Ford Fiestas, the highest objective was concentrating on to be a GT3 driver, an LMP2 driver or a touring automobile driver. And I simply watched F1 a lot and I noticed the F4s on the ToCA weekends and I simply actually wished to make that step into open wheel racing. However I didn’t know easy methods to do it, as a result of the monetary leap is simply unimaginable. So sudden.”
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It’s a given that each younger driver within the single-seater pyramid has a ardour for racing. However what strikes you about Fairclough is how he wears his ardour on his sleeve. The real pleasure of driving oozes out of him – not like so many friends who turning into inhibited by years of PR coaching. And after a record-setting 12 months, Fairclough is overtly setting his sights on a goal even his personal dad and mom feared could be out of his attain.
“I all the time had this intestine feeling,” he says. “I’m capable of communicate issues into the universe, I really feel.
“I’m a really true believer in ‘for those who can see it, then you are able to do it’. Folks say, ‘do you see your self successful the championship in F1? Do you see your self holding that trophy?’ – I do. I always take into consideration making an attempt to make it to F1. It has helped, clearly, this season – getting that British F4 championship title. Just like the likes of Lando Norris, he’s clearly made it to F1. Oscar Piastri has been in British F4 -there’s so many F1 drivers. So now I’m on that ladder, I’m within the area of the place drivers have made it to F1. Clearly they’ve bought that monetary backing. It form of provides you that further motivation and push that you are able to do it.”
Though he spent the vast majority of his British F4 season out entrance, there’s nonetheless been a lot for him to be taught, in any case. However whereas so many older drivers wrestle to ever learn to management their feelings and deal with the frustrations that always are available motorsport, Fairclough could be very forthcoming that he’s needed to work on his personal mindset over the course of the 12 months. Particularly following an early-season conflict with rival Alex Ninovic.
“I beat myself up a lot,” he admits, with shocking honesty. “I get actually offended if I’ve a mistake on the circuit or something can actually set off me in a short time. It may have an effect on my outcomes. I can overdrive, then I’m making too many errors.
“I feel this 12 months, everybody at Hitech helped me to form of get that out of my head. Very early on, I used to be actually offended. Me and Alex have been having such a detailed battle. He form of squeezed me off the circuit however I might have completed the very same factor. So I bought actually irritated as a result of I felt like I ought to have received that race. However I feel simply my mindset and mentality actually has progressed quite a bit this season.”
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Off the monitor, simracing remains to be a significant a part of Fairclough’s life. Though he received his actual world F4 seat on Assetto Corsa, Fairclough admits he’s extra of an iRacing man. He’s even competed in the identical splits as Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso and even a take a look at session alongside Max Verstappen. Unsurprisingly, given Fairclough’s success, ROKiT say they’re desperate to convey again their Rising Star competitors to supply extra alternatives for drivers who would possibly by no means have the prospect to race in any other case.
“All of those grids in the mean time should not paying for themselves,” observes ROKiT’s chairman Jonathan Kendrick. “It’s very wealthy households. In order that doesn’t appear particularly reasonable, since you might get some actually gifted drivers – like Deagen – who won’t ever get wherever as a result of they by no means bought the chance.”
Kendrick says the second version of the competitors will probably be far more open and fairer than the primary. Will probably be a global contest, slightly than restricted to the UK, with entrants separated by the {hardware} they’ve obtainable, to keep away from giving an obstacle to those that can’t afford high-end rigs and direct drive wheels. The winner will probably be determined with a judging panel, slightly than primarily based on the outcomes of a single ultimate, which may very well be determined by an incident that denies a deserving winner their golden alternative.
“We wished to democratise motor racing, to a point,” Kendrick says “ROKiT Racing Star was born to democratise somewhat bit as a lot as we might. And ROKiT Racing Star model two will probably be even higher.”
However for Fairclough, his time in F4 ought to now have come to its finish. Nonetheless, requested what his subsequent step will probably be, he admits that the place he goes from right here at the moment stays unsure.
“We aren’t too positive,” he says. “All of us have to have a sit down.
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“Clearly, we’d prefer to comply with Louis Sharp’s route the place he received British F4 after which get into FIA F3. Then win FIA F3 after which, from there simply get increased up. Yeah, we have to have sit down and have a dialogue of these connections.”
Though he stays simply a young person, it’s unimaginable to disregard the truth that three different youngsters have already participated in Method 1 this season: Oliver Bearman, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar. Two of these have been confirmed on the grand prix grid for 2025, whereas the third might find yourself as an F2 champion on the finish of the season.
Clearly, these three drivers come from vastly totally different backgrounds as Fairclough and every one has loved vital assist from one of many three of the most important groups in Method 1. Regardless of all the things he’s achieved in a single-seater thus far, does Fairclough concern that there’s successfully a restrict to how excessive he can rise in his profession?
“There’s all the time a glass wall that’s all the time making an attempt to crush you down and also you’ve all the time bought to push it again off,” he observes, frankly. “Clearly I’m simply on the again foot for the second.
“They have been capable of, straight out of karting, get into F4 as quickly as doable. They’d have been testing at 14, 15-years-old. They’ve completed so many championships in a single 12 months after which they have been so prepared to maneuver on to the subsequent 12 months the place they’re like 16 into F3 then F2 at 17 after which entering into F1.
“It’s somewhat bit gutting, however you see Oscar Piastri, for those who suppose in 5 years’ time, I’ll be 22. He bought into it at 22-years-old. Clearly that F2 to F1 leap, it’s a must to have that publicity, it’s a must to have quite a bit about you to have a crew select you as a driver. So I’m simply pushing as exhausting as I can. If I gave it 95%, then it’s a bit pointless and I might perceive why I couldn’t get to F1. But when I’m placing a lot in, then there’s no excuse actually.”
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