The FIA Formula 4 Championship will make its annual trip north of the border this weekend to the unique Knockhill circuit.
One of the shortest circuits on the calendar, measuring at just 1.27 miles, Knockhill is a narrow, undulating and demanding circuit loved by the fans and drivers. The track’s high kerbs provide a tough challenge for the drivers and engineers who have to set up the cars to navigate all of the undulations Knockhill presents.
Kiern’s sole previous trip to the Scottish track came last year when he raced in the Ginetta Junior Championship and it was a weekend to remember. Securing his maiden win in car racing, Kiern collected 65 points from a possible 70 in Knockhill and regards the circuit as one of his strongest on the calendar.
“Knockhill is a track I have great memories of after taking my first win in cars there last year. It’s a tough circuit, very demanding, but one that is a lot of fun to drive. There’s a lot of blind corners and the undulation means that you have to put a lot of trust in yourself and the car which I think plays to my strengths.”
Kiern bounced back from a difficult round at Snetterton, where he saw his championship lead halved after the summer break, with two podium finishes at Rockingham to extend the gap at the top to 45 point ahead of Ayrton Simmons.
“It was nice to put Snett behind us and return to the podium at Rockingham. We thought we would struggle at Rockingham so to leave there extending the championship lead was a real positive sign.”
With nine races remaining this season and 225 points still on offer, Kiern is hoping to pull further away at the top of the championship standings as he returns to one of his favourite tracks on the circuit.
“The goal this weekend is to extend the championship lead further and to do that, I need to be at my best. The series is getting more competitive every race weekend, with eight race winners already this year, so staying ahead of my rivals is crucial this weekend. I’m under no illusions how tough that is going to be but I’m up for the challenge.”