Premiere at the Slovakia Ring: Championship decider?

• Formel ADAC ventures into new territory with the first Slovakian race weekend in the six year history of the junior series
• Alessio Picariello could wrap up title prematurely
• Pursuer Maximilian Günther: “I’m not writing off the championship”

Slovakia Ring: The 2013 Formel ADAC season is about to enter a decisive stage as the
undergraduates of the ADAC ‘High-Speed Academy’ contest the penultimate race weekend
(13th to 15th September) at the Slovakia Ring. The three races on Saturday and Sunday will be
played out against an unfamiliar background when the junior series – now into its sixth season
– is hosted for the very first time by Slovakia.

This third foreign excursion of the current campaign also promises to be a momentous occasion,
as the title chase could be decided ahead of time. Championship leader Alessio Picariello (20)
from Belgium will arrive in Slovakia for Races 19 - 21 of the season with 222 points already in
the bag, 72 ahead of his ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. team-mate and closest pursuer
Maximilian Günther (16). Picariello, who has led the overall standings since the season opener
at Oschersleben, could theoretically be crowned champion as early as the podium ceremony for
Race 2 at the Slovakia Ring.

Günther still hopeful

ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Maximilian Günther is determined to have a say in the destiny
of the title. The most successful of the 15 rookies this season has been in superb form over the
last three race weekends, securing a double pole in qualifying and celebrating his first two
Formel ADAC victories at the Lausitzring. This made the 16-year-old the third-youngest winner in
the history of the junior series. In fact, the Lausitzring became the only venue of the 2013
season at which Picariello did not win at least one of the three races. “I haven’t written off the
championship and have no intention of giving up,” said Günther in combative mood. “I’ll be
doing my best to maintain the pressure on my team-mate Alessio.”

Over the past four races, Günther has closed the gap on Picariello by 26 points and is intent on
making further inroads at the Slovakia Ring. “I like the track a lot,” was Günther’s assessment
after putting in some test laps of the 5.922km circuit. “I think that there is scope for overtaking
here. There are some interesting corners that are suitable for gaining positions.”

Picariello poised to make Formel ADAC history

Having picked up the winner’s trophy in half of the races so far contested this year, Picariello
also professed admiration for one of the longest circuits in Europe. “The track is fast and
technically demanding and has all the ingredients for three exciting contests. Obviously, my
target is to carry on winning. It’s always a special feeling when you win on a new track – it gives
you additional motivation.” If or when Picariello secures his next victory, that will be enough to
earn him an entry in the record books: with a total of twelve successes in one season, he would
rank alongside 2010 Formel ADAC champion Richie Stanaway among the all-time greats.

Still in with a mathematical chance of taking the title are Nicolas Beer (17) of Denmark who
drives for Neuhauser Racing and ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Jason Kremer (18) from Bonn
who is a member of the Schiller Motorsport squad. With 130 points still up for grabs, these two
are currently placed third and fourth in the overall standings, with a gap of 118 and 125 points respectively to make up on Picariello. “At the Slovakia Ring, I will be aiming to score as many
points as possible, and another victory wouldn’t go amiss either,” says Nicolas Beer. “In this
highly competitive championship, you have to amass points on a consistent basis to have any
chance at all.” The Neuhauser Racing junior is eagerly anticipating the showdown in Slovakia:
“There are some fast corners here, and you have to be fully focused throughout. The slightest
error can ruin the entire lap.”