The 2025 UIM F4 season finally got underway in Aluksne, Latvia, after the cancellation of the opening World Championship round in Poland. With 22 boats on the entry list and only 18 spots up for grabs in the European heats, the weekend promised excitement—and delivered.
Britain’s Ben Morse looked strong early on, topping the time sheets in practice and qualifying on pole. But racing can be unpredictable. A crash in the first heat forced a restart, and a later collision took Morse out of the event entirely, ending his hopes for the title.
That left Norway’s William Leithe-Martinsen to rise to the occasion. Calm and consistent across all four heats, the young driver clinched three race wins and with them, his first UIM F4 European Championship title—a huge achievement in his debut international season.
The battle for the podium was just as fierce. Latvia’s Nils Slakteris took a well-earned second place, sealing the final heat win in front of his home crowd. Sweden’s Hilmer Wiberg edged out France’s Jean Baptiste-Thomas to grab third, adding another UIM medal to his growing collection after his F2 bronze last month.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Leithe-Martinsen. “After Viverone last year, I felt like I had the speed, but this class is full of experienced drivers. I just tried to stay relaxed and enjoy the racing. I’ve had great support from my team, family, and sponsors—I can’t thank them enough.”
Next stop: the opening round of the UIM World Championship in Mons, where Leithe-Martinsen and the rest of the F4 field will look to carry this momentum forward.
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