Tales from the Red Bull Ring paddock

• Successful home fixture for Austria’s Neuhauser Racing
• Huge support for local girl racer Corinna Kamper
• Mikkel Jensen crowned ‘half-time champion’ in home race for his Neuhauser Racing team

Spielberg – The Red Bull Ring in Austria hosted the fourth of eight Formel ADAC race weekends (6th - 8th June) being held in the context of the 2014 ADAC GT Masters season. Around 10,000 fans came through the gates to watch the three races contested by the young undergraduates of ADAC High Speed Academy.

Home race gives you wings: For the Zell am Ziller-based Neuhauser Racing stable, the Red Bull Ring weekend was clearly going to be the highlight of the year. And as the slogan of the circuit’s sponsor goes, home advantage apparently “gave the Austrian outfit wings”. Mikkel Jensen recorded his first double pole in qualifying, won two of the three races and made a podium appearance in the third. Moreover, two P5 finishes from team-mate Tim Zimmermann helped to elevate Neuhauser Racing to the top of the team standings.

Fan bus for Tim: Tim Zimmermann had huge vocal backing from his travelling fan club at the home race for his team. The series newcomer enjoyed the support of 80 family members, friends and partners who made the journey to the Red Bull Ring by a specially hired coach. “That was my way of saying thank you to everyone who has helped me,” said Zimmermann. “The fantastic atmosphere of the Red Bull Ring and the super weather made it a perfect day.”

Local darling: Corinna Kamper timed her return to Formel ADAC with Austrian outfit HS Engineering just right to coincide with her home race. After missing out on the two weekends since the season opener at Oschersleben, the 19 year old Austrian was ready for her second taste of high-speed single seater racing. Not surprisingly, there was a lot of media interest ahead of her comeback. Several newspapers carried special reports, and she even made it onto the cover of the regional magazine ‘Steierin’. Kamper: “I live only about a half hour from the Red Bull Ring. It was simply incredible to be competing in front of my home crowd and to have all that support. So it was all the more satisfying to score my first championship points.”

Countdown to the big race: In two weeks’ time, the highlight of the Red Bull Ring racing calendar takes place. After an eleven-year absence from the fixture list, Formula 1 returns to Austria. This weekend’s Formel ADAC was the last open-wheel racing series to be contested on the upgraded circuit prior to the return of the premier class. Over the course of three exciting races contested in perfect weather conditions, the junior formula drivers staged a convincing dress rehearsal for the big event.

Half-time champion: The major issue to be decided going into the race weekend was who would claim the title of ‘half-time Formel ADAC champion’. Mikkel Jensen did so in style. With two wins and a third place, the Neuhauser junior extended his overall championship lead and goes into the summer break as main title contender. “I am pleased about that, but I’m staying realistic,” said the Danish youngster who has 27-point lead over closest pursuer Maximilian Günther. “The season still has a long way to run.” The fifth race weekend of the season will take place between 8th and 10th August 2014 at the Slovakia Ring in Slovakia.