He has yet to step off the podium. Emanuele Olivieri kicked off the F4 Middle East season with a bang, winning two out of three races during the championship’s opening weekend. Even he hadn’t anticipated such a strong start, especially since Yas Marina was uncharted territory for him. “I had a good pace right from the free practice sessions,” Olivieri told Race Diary. His speed carried through to qualifying, where the 17-year-old from Canelli secured the season’s first pole position. Lining up alongside him on the front row was Alex Powell, also representing R-ace GP and a sixth-place finisher in the 2024 edition with Mumbai Falcons (Prema).
Powell’s additional experience was evident at lights-out, as the Jamaican driver from the Mercedes academy nearly took the lead. However, Olivieri held his ground through Turn 1, while Powell, perhaps facing technical issues later resolved with a pit stop, dropped to the back of the field.
The driver from Monferrato claimed the top step of the podium ahead of Kean Nakamura-Berta, who finished a consistent second in all three races after being crowned vice-champion in 2024. Race 2 saw a win from Stolcermanis, while Olivieri charged from 10th on the reverse grid to secure third place. In Race 3, he returned to the top of the standings.
The progress from last year’s 17th-place finish in the Italian F4 championship with AKM is undeniable. With a 14-point lead over his closest rival, Olivieri’s focus now shifts to maintaining his top position in a highly competitive field, which includes drivers like Powell, Nakamura-Berta, and Stolcermanis—all of whom finished in the top 10 in Italy last year.
For now, Olivieri is keeping things in perspective. “I’ll always do my best,” he explained. “This weekend (Round 2 kicks off on Friday, January 24th) will be tough. It’ll be my first time racing on this Abu Dhabi layout, and I think it’s more challenging, so I’ll need to work hard to keep pace with those who’ve already been here.”
Regardless of the outcome, the season offers Olivieri a prime opportunity to stand out ahead of his return to Misano in May.