Arab News | Archie Owen ends Marlon Bayer’s winning streak to win Race 2 of Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship Round 2

JEDDAH: Round 2 of the 2026 Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship, certified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), concluded on Thursday evening with Race 2 at Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where Welsh driver Archie Owen of 7.23 Racing claimed victory.

The championship is organized by ALTAWKILAT Motorsport, with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation serving as the sporting regulator.

In Race 2, the final race of the round featuring 15 drivers, Owen crossed the finish line first, 0.592 seconds ahead of Austrian driver Marlon Bayer of Wrap & Fly. Singaporean driver Isaac Seah of Peax completed the podium in third place, 1.639 seconds behind the winner.

The opening laps saw rapid changes at the front of the field, with Owen moving early to challenge for the lead. He passed Seah on Lap 3 to take second place before the safety car was deployed on Lap 4. When racing resumed, Owen immediately pressured Bayer before overtaking him to take the lead.

The move ended Bayer’s hopes of extending his winning streak, securing a second consecutive victory and his third win in the championship. Meanwhile, Jordanian driver Hamza Alfayez impressed with a charge from 11th on the starting grid to seventh place.

Qualifying 2, held at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Thursday at 4:50 p.m., saw closely matched lap times. Bayer topped the standings with the fastest lap of 2:07.291, finishing just 0.002 seconds ahead of Seah in second place. Owen qualified third, followed by Amin Kara Osman in fourth, while Harrison Mackie rounded out the top five.

The championship contributes to the development of Saudi motorsport talent by providing practical and competitive opportunities for young drivers and emerging professionals to hone their skills and gain experience in various disciplines, including engineering, logistics, event management and hospitality.

These opportunities support their progression toward broader regional and international careers while strengthening the presence of Saudi talent across the motorsport sector.

The Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship will return to Jeddah Corniche Circuit for Round 3, scheduled for October 31 to November 2. The round is part of the opening four rounds hosted in Jeddah, before the championship moves to Lusail International Circuit in Qatar in December.