Zandvoort preview: New territory for Formel ADAC school

• First Formel ADAC race at former Formula 1 circuit in Zandvoort
• Home race for Beitske Visser (17, Lotus) and Indy Dontje (19, Lotus)
• Top 4 in drivers’ standings covered by only three points after season’s first three races

Zandvoort – Formel ADAC enters uncharted territory for the second race weekend of the 2012 season: after four years at the Dutch circuit in Assen, the 4.307 km track that snakes through the dunes near the beach at Zandvoort will now host the young drivers’ successful ADAC single-seater racing series for the first time.

Serving as a Formula 1 grand prix venue some 30 times from 1952 to 1985, the circuit has featured on the DTM calendar race since 2001 without a break. During the ADAC Masters Weekend, young drivers contesting Formel ADAC will have the chance to gain vital experience on the spine-tingling dune roller-coaster, which also sees action in the famous Formula 3 Masters.

Local Dutch drivers set sights on podium

For young Dutch open-wheel racing car drivers Beitske Visser (17, Lotus), the only female on the grid in 2012, and Indy Dontje (19, Lotus), the three championship rounds at Zandvoort constitute a home race in the truest sense of the word: Visser’s hometown of Dronten is only an hour’s drive from Zandvoort, whilst Dontje lives just 20 minutes away from the track.

Visser: “Fans have wished me well on Twitter and Facebook, but driving in front of your home crowd is a very special event, for sure.” And so to please her many followers, the 17-year-old intends going all-out at the second race weekend of the year: “I’m looking for my first win.”

The two youngsters are very familiar with the circuit and its key sectors from competing in various racing series. Dontje: “I’ve already done testing in Zandvoort and have also raced karts here.” Visser added: “Plenty of sand blows onto the tarmac from nearby dunes, and track conditions change frequently during the weekend.” So drivers must constantly adapt driving style to conditions.

Exciting clashes among the dunes in prospect

No relaxing Sunday stroll along beach and dunes for Formel ADAC ‘scholars’ this weekend, since, in addition to attending lessons about the demanding Zandvoort circuit and how to deal with its changing track conditions, there is also the fight against tough international opposition in Formel ADAC’s line-up to consider; there were three different winners in the three races during the opening weekend at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, with eight different drivers securing the nine available podium places. Just three points cover the top four places in the drivers’ standings as the Zandvoort weekend draws near: Marvin Kirchhöfer (18, D, Lotus, 31 points) leads from Kuba Dalewski (16, POL, Lotus, 30 points), Gustav Malja (16, SWE, Neuhauser Racing, 30 points) and Thomas Jäger (17, AUT, Neuhauser Racing, 29 points).