Imogen Radburn claims maiden podium in breakthrough Australian F4 weekend

18-year-old Imogen Radburn achieved her first career podium in the Australian Formula 4 at Sydney Motorsport Park by finishing third in race 3, following two personal best fourth-place finishes then topped in race 3, marking a significant milestone in her promising racing career.

Young Australian racer Imogen Radburn achieved a career-first podium in Formula 4 competitions with a breakthrough weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park, where the AGI Sport driver collected two fourth place finishes - a personal best in only her second ever weekend in Australian F4 - before climbing the podium with a P3 in race 3.

Radburn, 18, had a strong karting career in New South Wales with multiple podium finishes and made her single seater debut in 2022, competing in the National Formula Ford championship. She is therefore in only her third racing season, having shown big progression in Formula Ford.

A former competitive swimmer, Radburn committed to a future in motor racing and had the opportunity to join AGI Sport for her first test and race weekend in the new-gen Tatuus T421 Formula 4 car used in the newly-revamped Australian F4 series, now run by international promoter Top Speed.

Radburn joined the grid for the second round at the Bend Motorsport Park, immediately impressing with a notable performance: she would finish sixth in the first two races of the weekend, then collected her first top five in race 3. Aiming to build on that experience, Imogen returned to the AGI Sport line up for the third round of the season at Sydney Motorsport Park, the 3.910 km circuit formerly known as Eastern Creek.

Radburn significantly improved her qualifying speed, clocking a 1:31.8398 in Q1 which placed her #29 Tatuus fifth on the starting grid. In Q2, the young racer did even better and, having found eight tenths of a second, slotted into fourth place with a 1:31.0941 lap.

In race 1, Radburn continued to impress, with a new personal best: from fifth on the grid, she overtook Seth Gilmore on the first lap and grabbed fourth - as well as in the lead of the rookie class - and held position until the chequered flag, opening a 10 second gap to the closest pursuer despite a mid-race safety car neutralization.

While she didn't quite have the pace to catch Amadio ahead, Radburn's fourth place in race 1 was a significant step forward and her second consecutive top five finish in F4.

Pole-sitter James Piszcyk took a lights-to-flag victory, the seventh out of seven races, five seconds ahead of teammate Nicolas Stati and Sebastian Amadio.

The starting grid of race 2 was shaped by the result of the previous contest: from fourth on the grid, Radburn had a good chance to repeat her previous run, but had to work extra hard for it after a stall at the start dropped her to the back of the pack.

The setback didn't stop her - and an early safety car gave her the chance to catch back the pack. At the restart, Radburn overtook three cars in one lap, before setting her sights on Rookie class rival Seth Gilmore.

With a superb charging drive, Imogen - who had pace for a top three - caught Gilmore and found a way past, reclaiming fourth place in the closing stages and adding 12 more points to her championship tally and another Rookie Cup win.

Piszcyk dominated once again from pole position, taking the chequered flag 15 seconds clear of Stati - who survived a 5 second penalty for track limits to finish second, in an unchanged podium.

But Imogen Radburn was not done yet: it would be in fact the third and final race of the weekend to deliver the headline performance, as the AGI Sport driver took the challenge to Amadio and, faster than the JAM Motorsport competitor, she moved from fourth to third and built a safe buffer.

While James Piszcyk and Nicholas Stati were unreachable ahead, Imogen Radburn made it an AGI Sport 1-2-3 as she completed the 18 laps in third place, climbing the podium for the first time in her F4 career.

"The adrenaline of each race, the pumping atmosphere, the champagne showers to celebrate our victories", Radburn wrote. "What a surreal and unforgettable experience. Huge thanks to AGI Sport for having me, to my sponsors for your constant support and to my friends and family that came to cheer me on."

Radburn's first podium gained her sixth place in the championship standings, having collected 65 points in just six races. The 18-year-old is now also sitting second in the rookies' class, having swept the weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Australian F4 Championship will host its fourth and penultimate round of the 2024 season at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, on 7-8 September.