Double pole for Maximilian Günther at the Hockenheimring

• Maximilian Günther secures last ever pole in the history of the Formel ADAC series
• Showdown between the season’s most consistent qualifiers: Champion Mikkel Jensen lines up in P2
• Pole-setter Günther: “I’m absolutely delighted. Everything went perfectly today.”

Hockenheim. Maximilian Günther (17, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) has written one of the closing chapters in the history of the Formel ADAC series by securing pole position in the last ever qualifying session. The ADAC junior single-seater competition, which nurtured such talents as Formula 1 test driver Pascal Wehrlein, next year gives way to the successor series to be known as ADAC Formula 4.

Setting a fastest lap of 1:45.516 minutes, Günther booked the best grid position for the first of three races in the grand finale of the season at the Hockenheimring. The 17-year-old also starts the second race from pole position, by virtue of the second-fastest lap time of the session. These will be pole positions number five and six for Günther during the current season. Having now notched up 14 pole positions during his career in Formel ADAC racing, the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé will be remembered as the series’ most prolific pole-setter.

Battle of the most consistent qualifiers

The qualifying session at the famous track in Baden-Württemberg saw the season’s two best qualifying drivers go head to head. Mikkel Jensen (19, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing) secured second place on the grid for the first of three races in Hockenheim. Having already clinched the championship on the previous race weekend at the Sachsenring, the Neuhauser Racing youngster posted a lap of 1.45.732 minutes, 0.216 seconds adrift of the time set by Günther who took an early lead in the 30-minute session and tenaciously clung to it.

Meanwhile, Joel Eriksson (16, Sweden, Lotus) claimed third spot on the grid with a personal best of 1:45.755 minutes, missing out on the front row by just two-hundredths of a second. The Top Three was thus made up of drivers representing three countries and three teams.

Strong performance by Lotus

Dennis Marschall (18, Germany, Lotus) completed the second row for Lotus. The margin between Marschall and fellow ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Günther was 0.623 seconds. A thrilling three-way battle was fought for places on the third row. Ralph Boschung (17, Switzerland, Lotus), Tim Zimmermann (18, Germany, Neuhauser Racing) and Igor Walilko (17, Poland, JBR Motorsport & Engineering) chipped away at each other’s lead several times in the closing minutes. Ultimately, Boschung prevailed with a lap time of 1:46.213 minutes. Luis Enrique Breuer (17, Germany, Lotus) qualified in P8 behind ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Zimmermann and Poland’s Walilko, thus ensuring that all four Lotus drivers finished in the Top Eight.

Once again this year, the ADAC is making a live stream available for fans unable to be at the Hockenheimring in person to watch the three races. To access this free service, visit the official ADAC Motorsport website at www.adac.de/formel-adac.


Maximilian Günther (17, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.), Pole Race 1 and 2:
“I’m absolutely delighted to have secured another double pole after so long. Everything went perfectly today, and I felt totally at ease in the car. I posted my best time as early as the first flying lap. After that, I was trying too hard and went outside the track limits several times on Turn 1. On the long straights of the first two sectors, I repeatedly lost time on the opposition, but I made this up again on the technically demanding Motodrom section. It’s good to know that my name goes into the record books as the last pole-setter in the Formel ADAC series and also that I’ve improved my own tally of pole positions. Now I’m really looking forward to the upcoming races, and I’ll be doing my best to get some decent results.”