Indy Dontje wins third race at Oschersleben

• Indy Dontje secures home win for Team Lotus at Oschersleben
• Two Neuhauser drivers – Nicolas Beer and Marvin Dienst – finish on podium
• Alessio Picariello heads championship table as he leaves Oschersleben
• Dontje: “My first win in the Formel ADAC – it just feels great.”

Oschersleben – Race 3

Date: 28th April 2013
Race: 03/24
Weather: Sunny, 10°C
Circuit lenght: 3.696 km
Pole: Callan O'Keeffe
Laps: 17
Winner: Indy Dontje
Fastest lap: Marvin Dienst (1:30.781)

Oschersleben – The Formel ADAC season-opener in the etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben ended with a thrilling third race. Indy Dontje (20, Netherlands, Lotus) won the final event, giving his team Lotus their first win of the season at home in Oschersleben. “I got off to a perfect start, moving into P1 from second place. However, Nicolas Beer kept piling on the pressure – he was never out of my rear-view mirror,” said a happy Dontje about his first success in his second year in the junior series.

The Dutch driver was forced to defend his P1 for many laps from Nicolas Beer (17, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing) and Marvin Dienst (16, Germany, Neuhauser Racing), who were in hot pursuit. At the finish line, Dontje had a lead of only 0.365 seconds on Beer, who joined the podium for the second time this weekend. Neuhauser team-mate Dienst achieved his first podium finish in his third race in the Formel ADAC.

Winner of two races Picariello in fourth place

Alessio Picariello (19, Belgium, Mücke Motorsport) crossed the finish line in fourth place with a deficit of nearly nine seconds on the Top Three. The winner of the first two races at Oschersleben was in the process of playing catch-up in the second half of the race, though, and rounded off his strong weekend with a decent result.

Maximilian Günther (15, Germany, Mücke Motorsport), who finished third in the second race, came home in fifth place. The ADAC Sports Foundation protégé had a thrilling scrap with Jason Kremer (18, Germany, Schiller Motorsport) in the course of the 17 laps.

Boschung makes brilliant charge up the field

Pole-sitter Callan O'Keeffe (16, South Africa, Lotus) had to settle for seventh place. The Red Bull Junior lost his first position on the grid after a lightning start by race winner Dontje, subsequently dropping down the field.

Ralph Boschung (15, Switzerland, KUG Motorsport) fought his way up through the field for the second time in a row to finish in eighth place. The Swiss teenager started the race from P20 on the grid after a penalty and moved up twelve places. In the second and third race, he gained a total of 21 positions.

Picariello travels as championship leader to the second race weekend of the season at the legendary Formula 1 circuit of Spa-Francorchamps (10th-12th May). The Belgian leads the overall standings after three of 24 races with 57 points. Beer is second with 37 points. Dontje is ranked third with 33 championship points.

Comments from the Top Three drivers

Indy Dontje (20, Netherlands, Lotus), Winner:
“My first win in the Formel ADAC – it just feels great. I got off to a perfect start, moving into P1 from second place. However, Nicolas Beer kept piling on the pressure – he was never out of my rear-view mirror. Luckily, I managed to stop him overtaking and defend my lead. Despite the sometimes difficult weather conditions this weekend, I'm happy with my race. I can’t wait to secure my next victory.”

Nicolas Beer (17, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing), Second:
“I'm very pleased to finish on the podium for the second time this weekend. My car’s pace was so good this morning that I thought I might be in with a chance of victory. As the lights went out, though, I struggled a little with my car and was therefore very happy that it was enough, in the end, for a place in the Top Three. The scraps with Indy Dontje were a lot of fun – one minute, he was pulling away from me, the next minute, I was able to catch up again, that’s how racing should be.”

Marvin Dienst (16, Germany, Neuhauser Racing), Third:
“Getting a podium in my first race weekend feels really great. At the beginning of the race, I even thought I could win because I was faster than the drivers in front of me. But I did not want to risk overtaking my teammate so that we could get both cars safely over the finish line for the team, and I’m pleased about Nicolas coming home in second place. I am very satisfied with my weekend. We improved systematically all the way along, from practice to qualifying to the race.”