Emily Cotty ends UAE 4 Series in top-10 in standings
- RACERS
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Emily Cotty concluded her 2026 UAE F4 Series campaign with a determined display at Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, overcoming an unfortunate qualifying to gain 14 positions across three races to cement a top-ten finish in the championship standings.
Emily Cotty concluded her 2026 UAE F4 Series campaign with a determined display at Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, overcoming an unfortunate qualifying to gain 14 positions across three races to cement a top-ten finish in the championship standings.
The British-New Zealand racer ends the Middle Eastern-based series as the highest-placed female driver in the classification, in a season that included consistent points finishes and her maiden overall podium.
Cotty arrived in Qatar as the only female competitor on the grid, with fellow female racers Payton Westcott, Alba Larsen, Kaylee Countryman and Emma Felbermayr absent due to a collective F1 Academy test in Shanghai. Representing R-Ace GP, Cotty had already established herself as the best female driver in the series this year, frequently battling inside the top ten and scoring points at every previous round.
The weekend began positively in pre-event testing, where Cotty set the eighth-fastest time in the opening session and remained within one second of the outright pace in official practice, with encouraging signs at the high-speed Lusail circuit.
However, qualifying proved more dramatic. In Q1, a mechanical issue forced Cotty wide, resulting in track limits infringements and deleted lap times. Left with an unrepresentative 1:57.749, she was relegated to 30th on the grid for Race 1 in a fiercely competitive 38-car field comprising some of the most promising young F4 talents globally.
Q2 better reflected her true pace: a 1:55.826 placed her 13th fastest overall, reaffirming that she had the speed to fight for points once again.
Starting 30th, Cotty faced an uphill task. At lights out, the packed grid launched cleanly aside from Al Azhari, who stalled amid a cloud of dust. Early drama saw Kostin stranded in the gravel, prompting a safety car. Cotty navigated the chaos effectively, gaining three positions to move into P27.
Nguyen’s pit stop for damages promoted her to P26 before racing resumed, while further incidents under the safety car - as Gebrayel spun and Cosma Cristofor stopped - advanced Cotty to P25. With multiple recoveries required, the race was eventually red-flagged.
After a lengthy delay, racing resumed with 13 minutes remaining. Cotty immediately went on the offensive. Clearing Hattemer alongside Al Sulaiti, she climbed to P22, then P21 as Zheng encountered trouble. When Campbell Pilling ran wide at the final corner, Cotty capitalized decisively, gaining five positions in a single lap to break into the top 20.
Further midfield contact triggered another safety car, leaving just one final green-flag lap. Cotty maintained composure, defending from Campbell Pilling while trailing Al Sulaiti to secure P20 on the road. Post-race penalties elevated her to P18, in an impressive 12-place gain from her starting position despite only two full green-flag laps of racing.
Friday’s second race unfolded under sunny, warm conditions. With the top 12 reversed from Race 1, Cotty lined up 18th. She made an excellent launch, surging to P15 by Turn 1 and immediately attacking AlSabah. Attempting an outside move at Turn 1 on lap two, she briefly challenged before slotting back in, simultaneously defending from Clark behind.
By lap four, Cotty was once again pressuring AlSabah, separated by mere tenths. Behind her, Consani, recovering from a poor start, collided with Al Azhari, sending both into the barriers and bringing out the safety car. Damage to the barriers caused a red flag with 15 minutes remaining.
The restart lasted only briefly before further collisions, first between Pasquinetti and Al Sulaiti, triggered another safety car and yet another red flag. A final restart followed, but with yet another stranded car and time expiring, the race was red-flagged for a third time and not resumed.
In a race defined by interruptions, Cotty classified 16th, with another solid recovery performance amid the turmoil.
The final race of the 2026 season offered Cotty one more opportunity to challenge for the top ten, starting 13th and just a few positions shy of another point scoring finish.
At the start, she took the inside line and gained a position as Craigie ran wide following contact with Stolcermanis. The latter retired with damage, prompting an early safety car.
On the restart, Cotty engaged in an intense battle with Smith. Twice she drew alongside on the main straight, but Smith defended resolutely while Clark loomed behind. Setting her personal best lap of the race, Cotty remained within striking distance, finding for a gap.
Another safety car after Kostin beached in the gravel with suspension damage neutralized the race with 11 minutes remaining. A final five-minute sprint followed, with Emily Cotty tucked into Smith’s slipstream and firmly in contention for the final points-paying positions.
However, tyre degradation began to take effect. Clark forced his way alongside into Turn 1, boxing Cotty in and relegating her back to P13. Under mounting pressure in the closing stages, she nevertheless held firm to cross the line in 13th, matching her starting position but having fought at the edge of the points throughout.
Despite a tricky final round, Cotty’s Qatar performance wrapped up her 2026 UAE F4 campaign with yet another combative round. Recovering 14 positions across the three races at Lusail, she ultimately sealed a top-ten championship finish, often beating drivers backed by Formula 1 teams and big academies.
"Coming into the series I hoped the team would deliver a competitive car based on last seasons result where the team took the drivers and teams titles", Cotty commented. "Ultimately, I felt I could have finished further inside the top ten, but due to a couple of incidents beyond my control and some unexpected weather conditions when leading at Yas Marina, I lost a number of points which would have placed me higher in the title fight."
"Overall, I'm pleased with my development over the series and am going to keep working hard in the off season and the lead up to Italian F4", she continued. "I'd like to thank my family and R-Ace GP for the support and especially my driver coach Calan Williams who has been invaluable in assisting my progress so far this season."
As she now shifts focus to her primary 2026 programme in Italian F4, Cotty leaves the the UAE 4 Series having proven herself as a frontrunner capable of battling in the top ten.