Limbering up for Formula 1: Stars of tomorrow at the Red Bull Ring

• Fourth race weekend of the Formel ADAC season and halfway stage in the championship
• Title contender Mikkel Jensen super-motivated ahead of home race for Neuhauser Racing
• Women to the fore: Austrian Corinna Kamper in comeback with HS Engineering

The whole of Austria has rediscovered its passion for single-seater open-wheel racing as it looks forward to the return of Formula 1 later this month after an eleven-year absence. Before the likes of Sebastian Vettel vie with each other for the world championship, however, the Red Bull Ring plays host to the youngsters of the ADAC High Speed Academy. The stars of tomorrow will be preparing the ground at Spielberg for the highest echelon of the sport from 6th to 8th June when they contest the fourth race weekend of 2014. This second foreign excursion of the season for the competition also marks its halfway point.

Going into the three races at the Red Bull Ring, Neuhauser Racing’s Mikkel Jensen (19) is best place to claim the unofficial title of ‘halftime champion’. The young Dane leads the overall standings after nine of the 24 races. His lead over Maximilian Günther (16, Rettenberg, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV) is only two points, but the venue is bound to provide Jensen with additional motivation, because this event represents the highlight of the year for his team. The Zell am Ziller-based outfit will be keen to build on past successes achieved on home soil.

Title contender Jensen aiming for more wins

“My target for this home race for my team is to win the first two races and at least finish on the podium in the third,” says Jensen. So far this season, the 19-year-old has notched up two wins and five podiums. Jensen already has experience of the Red Bull Ring from the 2013 Formel ADAC campaign when he very much enjoyed competing on the roller-coaster circuit. “I just love this track,” says the current championship leader. “The whole circuit is very fast and extremely demanding. The changes in elevation make the Red Bull Ring a very special challenge.”

Neuhauser Racing with top rookie in squad

Meanwhile, Jensen has competition from within his own ranks. In Tim Zimmermann (17), Neuhauser Racing have the most successful rookie in the series. In the first six races of the season, the 17-year-old made four podium appearances. After a difficult third race weekend at the Lausitzring two weeks ago, he will be aiming to restore his fortunes in the home race for the team. “After a great start to my first season in Formel ADAC, my expectations have obviously increased,” says Zimmermann. “I’m hoping that my first win might just come at the Red Bull Ring.”

Zimmermann has already familiarised himself with the 4.32km track and its seven challenging corners on a series of test laps. “They went very well, and that gives me confidence about getting a good result here,” said the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé. Zimmermann can count on considerable vocal backing at the weekend, as he has invited 80 fans plus partners to the event.

Home race ‘of sorts’ for 2013 championship runner-up Günther

One other driver who will be battling it out for the podium is Maximilian Günther of Mücke Motorsport which competes under the aegis of ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg. Currently second in the championship, Günther has good memories of the Red Bull Ring in 2013 when he secured two podium finishes. “Victory here has so far eluded me,” says last year’s championship runner-up. “My mother is Austrian, so Spielberg is a sort of home race for me too.”

Female racer Kamper in comeback for home race

The Red Bull Ring also sees the return of Austrian team HS Engineering to Formel ADAC. The Siegendorf-based outfit will be bringing along a large contingent of fans to cheer on their local heroes. Having missed out on the two race weekends since the season opener at Oschersleben, Corinna Kamper (19) will be flying the flag for HS Engineering. The 19-year-old from the Austrian town of Bruck an der Mur has already accumulated several years’ experience of single-seater racing and is especially motivated ahead of her second appearance in the ADAC junior series: “It’s a great honour to be appearing in front of my home crowd. For us drivers, this is always something special.”

Kamper is the only female on the grid and continues the long Formel ADAC tradition of having youngsters of both sexes in the line-up. She is by no means overawed by the male competition: “Oh, that doesn’t bother me at all. It’s been several years now that I’ve been competing against the boys and matching them for results. Since I entered formula racing a couple of seasons ago, I haven’t competed against a single other girl driver. So as you can see, it’s absolutely normal for me. And in any case, when we’ve got our helmets on, we all look the same.”