McLaughlin takes F4 lead with Snetterton win
McLaughlin, from Magherafelt, won the third race at Snetterton with a commanding drive from pole position.
The 17-year-old now leads the overall championship by nine points over Martin Molnar of Hungary, as well as the rookie standings after three rounds.
McLaughlin had taken pole position for the first race before a mistake while leading dropped him down the order.
However, he rebounded by finishing eighth in race two before his victory in the final race of the weekend.
"I was really rooting for the victory. In that last one I was really fast and I came away with the win," said Hitech driver McLaughlin.
"Every racing driver loves it when you're on your own and you have a big gap behind, so the stress was low and I just tried to manage the gap and stay calm."
In the British Touring Car Championship, which was also racing at Snetterton, Northern Ireland's Chis Smiley had another strong weekend with two top-10 finishes to move into eighth in the standings.
The Restart Racing driver was set to start the third and final race from second on the grid but an electrical issues on his Hyundai forced him to miss the Green flag.
The three BTCC races were won by Ford duo Dan Cammish and Daniel Rowbottom, before Power Maxed Racing's Mikey Doble claimed the final race.
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Formula 4 drivers to feature at Grand Prix weekend
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From Strategy To Cheese, Here's What You Should Know Before Road America
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Road America. America's National Park of Speed is what they like to call it. The 14-turn, 4.014-mile course presents plenty of challenges for INDYCAR drivers. It runs through a picturesque setting, including fields and a small forest situated about 90 minutes north of Milwaukee. The 27 INDYCAR drivers get practice Friday afternoon and another Saturday morning, before qualifying on Saturday afternoon. They have a brief warm-up on Sunday before the 55-lap race, which airs at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX. But there's so much to dive into before Road America. Has Nolan Siegel squashed his beef with Scott McLaughlin? Do drivers have a special strategy for this four-mile course? And since we're in Wisconsin, will cheese be on everything? Let's get you ready for the race. Here's everything you need to know. Who's the favorite? Last year, Team Penske drivers went first, second and third. 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