News from the Lausitzring paddock

• Ex-DTM driver Renger van der Zande mentoring Indy Dontje
• TV appearance for Jeffrey Schmidt following maiden victory
• Young karting talent get taste for Formula racing

Lausitzring – The budding stars of the Formel ADAC open-wheel racing academy travelled to the Lausitzring for the sixth of the eight race weekends in the 2012 season. In front of 18,500 spectators, local favourite Hendrik Grapp and Jeffrey Schmidt celebrated their first victories in the ADAC junior series. Beitske Visser, the only female in the starting line-up, notched up her second Formel ADAC win.

Youngsters get taste for big time racing: On the Monday after the race weekend at the Lausitzring, 25 young karting competitors will be getting an idea of what it is like to drive a Formel ADAC powered by Volkswagen car. In the course of Experience Day, boys and girls in the 14 - 19 age bracket are given an insight into the workings of the 145-horsepower car, learning about starting procedures and how to change gear; they even get to put in a few laps behind a pace car. This is the third time that Experience Day has been held at the Lausitzring, and as usual, it is free of charge to the participants.

Support from compatriot: In his debut year in the Formel ADAC series, Indy Dontje has the backing of an experienced mentor. The Dutch driver is receiving guidance from former DTM driver Renger van der Zande. “Renger is my driving instructor,” is how Dontje describes his fellow countryman. “On the race weekends, he supports me in my preparations for qualifying and the race. He is a tremendous help to me – with him at my side, I’m learning a lot about racing.”

Target practice: Every win a bull’s-eye! And Marvin Kirchhöfer is decorating his car accordingly. Each time the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé wins a race, he attaches another sticker to his engine cover depicting a bullet hole. “Well, it’s different from all the usual smileys that the other drivers stick on their cars after a race win,” said Kirchhöfer. A difficult race weekend at the Lausitzring meant that the number two driver in the championship was unable to add to the four already adorning his vehicle.

Crunch time approaches: There are just six more races at the Nürburgring and in the season finale at Hockenheim until we find out the successor to reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein who has since made the step up to the Formula 3 Euro Series. With three podium finishes at the Lausitzring, Swedish driver Gustav Malja has given himself a 25-point cushion in the standings; after 18 out of 24 races, he has 229 points while his closest pursuer Marvin Kirchhöfer is on 204.

Success in front of home fans: Young Berliner Hendrik Grapp appeared confident in the run-up to the race weekend near his home city, and as it turned out, with every justification. On Saturday, the ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. driver not only secured his first pole position in the Formel ADAC series but also converted it into a maiden victory. “It’s unbelievable – my first Formel ADAC win, and to cap it all, in my home race at the Lausitzring,” said a delighted Grapp. At the same time, he was also securing a third success of the season for the Berlin-based Mücke Motorsport team.

From podium to TV studio: Hendrik Grapp was not the only one chalking up a maiden victory on the sixth race weekend of the 2012 ADAC Masters season. On Sunday, Jeffrey Schmidt also had cause for celebration after winning his first race under Formel ADAC tutelage. This coming Thursday (30th August) at 7pm, the Wild@7 magazine programme on the Swiss TV channel SF2 will feature an in-depth report on the young Lotus driver.