- Alessio Picariello – most successful Formel ADAC driver ever
- Norbert Haug presents trophies on podium
- Champion’s celebration and film showing highlights officially conclude successful season
Hockenheim - The Hockenheimring hosted the eighth and final Formel ADAC race weekend of the 2013 season from 27th to 29th September. 21,200 spectators at the historic track in southern Germany enjoyed watching the three exciting races of the ADAC high-speed academy.
One for the history books: New champion Alessio Picariello continued his strong season in the Formel ADAC finale at Hockenheim by crowning his year with wins in Saturday’s opening race and in Sunday’s second race, securing a place in the history books. Picariello achieved his 14th victory, spread across two seasons, and becomes the supreme record holder in terms of outright wins in the six-year history of the junior series. Richie Stanaway, who was champion back in 2010, is next with twelve successes. Champion in 2011 Pascal Wehrlein and Marvin Kirchhöfer, the 2012 champion, both secured nine wins each.
A VIP comes to call: A true veteran of the motor racing scene took to the podium after Sunday’s final race. Norbert Haug presented the trophy for second place to Jason Kremer. Haug has been involved in promoting juniors in motor racing for many years but this was his first time spectating at the Formel ADAC races during an ADAC GT Masters weekend.
Champion photo-shoot: There were many spectators gathered on Saturday morning in front of the tent of championship team Mücke Motorsport. The reason: The entire team of the Berlin-based racing team was posing for a big group photo to mark the end of the season. Last race weekend in Slovakia, the well-established team from Berlin won the team and the drivers’ title before season’s end. At Hockenheim, logos with the word ‘Champion’ graced both the team truck and Alessio Picariello’s car.
Best pole fighter: The season finale could not have begun better at the Hockenheimring for runner-up Maximilian Günther. The ADAC Sports foundation protégé secured double pole in qualifying – poles seven and eight in his debut season in the Formel ADAC. The 16-year-old was even more successful than champion and team-mate Alessio Picariello, who achieved four top grid positions. Günther has secured double pole four times in the eight qualifying sessions of the 2013 season.
Celebrating in masterful style: The sixth Formel ADAC season was officially concluded on Sunday evening at the championship celebrations in the paddock. During the festivities, champion Alessio Picariello, runner-up Maximilian Günther and Jason Kremer, who finished third overall, received their awards as the audience cheered loudly. A special highlight of the festivities was a film, shown for the first time that evening, presenting the best moments from the season’s 24 races. Entertaining film snippets from the ADAC GT Master and the ATS Formel 3 Cup were also shown. Produced annually, these clips from the Formel ADAC and the ADAC GT Masters are also available on the ADAC official website at: www.adac.de/motorsport.
Impressive points-scoring run: Indy Dontje is Mr Consistency, achieving points in every one of the season’s 24 races – a feat only ever previously matched by Patrick Schranner in 2010. “I’m very pleased about my record and would like to thank the team for all their hard work,” said the happy Lotus Driver. In 48 races spread over separate seasons, Dontje finished 40 times in the Top Ten.