F4 CEZ: Mathilda Paatz secures top-five, Havrda makes debut at Slovakiaring

Mathilda Paatz showed front-running pace with another top-five finish at Slovakiaring but was struck by bad luck in the remaining races, while Nicole Havrda, making her series debut with two top-ten results, collected valuable mileage. Michalina Sabaj fought close to the points and topped the female entries in race 2, while Kiara Henni continued her steady progress.

Photo credits: F4 CEZ

Mathilda Paatz secured another top-five result in the F4 CEZ after a strong first race at Slovakiaring, but the German talent was hit by bad luck later in the weekend and could not capitalize on her pace. Despite battling at the front, her speed went unrewarded in races two and three.

Joining the F4 Central European Zone for the first time, F1 Academy racer Nicole Havrda made good progress over the weekend and scored two top-ten finishes, with ninth place in the final race marking a personal best. Michalina Sabaj also had strong fighting races, running close to the points and claiming best female entry in race two. Meanwhile, single seater rookie Kiara Henni continued to make big steps forward, battling consistently in the pack with solid performances.

For the opening race, Paatz - who has already secured a podium in the series - was once again the best-placed woman on the grid, starting from seventh after running at the front in practice. Canadian guest starter Nicole Havrda followed in 12th place in the #2 car, just ahead of Sabaj in 13th, while Henni lined up in 19th.

The race began without major incidents, although Sabaj initially stalled on the grid. Fortunately, everyone avoided her, and she was able to get going again under her own power, albeit with a delay. The other women had strong starts: Havrda held her 12th place, Paatz slipped to ninth, and Henni gained three spots to move into 16th.

Over the following laps, Paatz overtook Gorcica’s #88 car and benefited from the battles ahead, quickly regaining her seventh-place starting position. At the same time, Havrda and Sabaj each made up ground but remained outside the points. Havrda then lost her gained position in Turn 1, dropping back to 12th.

Gorcica was forced to pit midway through the race with damage, which promoted both Havrda and Sabaj. Henni, however, lost a position and remained in 16th, while still battling in the pack before also being passed by Nemec.

Not long after, Dyrved went off into the grass and fell to the back of the field, while Paatz slipped to eighth. Towards the end, two Jenzer cars collided at the front, sending Cortes’ #23 into the gravel and bringing out the safety car. The race finished behind the neutralization, but post-race penalties for dangerous driving and collisions reshuffled the results: Paatz was classified fifth, Havrda tenth, Sabaj 13th, and Henni 14th. It was therefore Mathilda's fourth top five result of the season.

Photo credits: F4 CEZ

As usual, the second race featured the same starting order. This time, all cars got away cleanly. Paatz immediately charged to fourth and battled for a podium spot, while Havrda and Henni both lost ground, falling to 13th and 17th respectively. Sabaj also dropped a position.

Paatz’s podium fight however ended on lap two when she came under pressure from Schranz, who overtook her. Trappa, the penalized winner of race one, capitalized to pass as well. Losing momentum, Paatz was then overtaken by Gaspar and another Jenzer car, falling from fourth to eighth in the space of two laps. She recovered her rhythm briefly, but after ten minutes she dropped to the back and was unable to recover.

This allowed the other women to move up: Henni climbed to 15th after 13 minutes, and Sabaj matched her progress in the #17, though both were soon shuffled back again. Sabaj then engaged in a thrilling fight with Nemec and the #14, running side-by-side for an entire lap before the checkered flag fell. She finished 12th as the top female entry, just ahead of Havrda in 13th and Henni in 14th.

Photo credits: F4 CEZ

In the final race, Paatz started from an improved fourth place, while the others lined up in their previous grid positions. Mathilda stormed forward again and briefly secured a provisional podium, while Havrda dropped to 12th and Sabaj to 17th. Henni was forced to retire after just two laps.

In the midfield, a rear-end collision damaged the #69 car of Gaspar, forcing him into the pits. At the end of lap two, Paatz launched an attack for second place at the final corner but ran wide, making contact with her rival, whose front wing cut her right rear tire, forcing the German to retire. Her stranded car triggered the first safety car of the race.

At the restart, Nicole Havrda was 12th and Michalina Sabaj 15th. But the race remained chaotic: with 15 minutes to go another collision shuffled the order and allowed both drivers to gain positions. The battles intensified in the midfield, with plenty of contact and close fights. Both Havrda and Sabaj moved up two more places.

In the closing laps, Sabaj attempted a brave outside pass on the Maffi Racing car of Nikolaj Dyrved at Turn 13 and completed it, but the move cost her momentum and she was countered immediately, losing another position. Havrda crossed the line in ninth, with Sabaj 12th. For the Canadian F1 Academy driver, who collected valuable mileage for her upcoming F1 Academy commitments, was another top ten and a personal best of ninth on her first appearance in the series. Sabaj also held her own with close battles throughout the event.

The F4 CEZ season finale will take place in Brno on September 5–7, where the female drivers will aim to end the campaign on a high and secure their best possible championship results.