- First win of season for Beitske Visser
- Heavy rain brings early close to third race at Sachsenring
- Local driver Florian Herzog just misses podium
- Visser: “Race stewards were right not to continue the race.”
Sachsenring – Race 3
Date: 09 June 2013
Race: 09/24
Weather: Rain, 17°C
Circuit length: 3.645 km
Pole: Florian Herzog
Laps: 6
Winner: Beitske Visser
Fastest lap: Callan O'Keeffe (2:12.187)
Hohenstein-Ernstthal – Formel ADAC Race 3 at the Sachsenring will go down in history: Beitske Visser (18, Netherlands, Lotus) secured the win after completing just six laps. Heavy rain began to fall just as the race was starting on Sunday afternoon. Martin Gatz (18, Germany, KSW Motorsport) and Benedikt Gentgen (15, Germany, JBR Motorsport & Engineering) lost control in the difficult conditions, sliding into the gravel bed on the first lap, which brought out the safety car. After five laps behind the safety car, race stewards decided to cancel this final race at the Sachsenring due to the heavy rain.
A smiling Visser emerged victorious after just one proper race lap. This is the Red Bull junior’s first victory of the year after a difficult start to the season. Visser took the lead shortly after the start from pole-setter Florian Herzog (19, Germany, KUG Motorsport) and that proved to be the decisive manoeuvre of the race, leading to the win. Local driver Herzog was unlucky, dropping down the field half-way through the first lap to P4. He missed his first podium in the ADAC’s high-speed academy by a whisker but finished in the points in all three races.
Successful weekend for Berliner Grapp
Hendrik Grapp (19, Germany, Mücke Motorsport) was the second member of the podium party behind Visser. The winner of the first race at the Sachsenring quickly moved up the field from fourth on the grid to overtake the two drivers directly in front of him, Jason Kremer (18, Germany, Schiller Motorsport) and Herzog. ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Kremer secured third place on the podium.
Marvin Dienst (16, Germany, Neuhauser Racing) came home in fifth place behind Herzog. The rookie driver, who finished Sunday morning’s second race in second position, won through against Indy Dontje (20, Netherlands, Lotus) on the first lap. Dontje had to settle for fifth place.
Championship leader Picariello in seventh place
Championship leader Alessio Picariello (19, Belgium, Mücke Motorsport) would certainly have liked the race to have been longer. The starting order was reversed for the top eight drivers in the third round, so Picariello, winner of the second event at the Sachsenring, began the race in eighth position. He made one successful passing manoeuvre during the first lap, crossing the finish line in P7.
Behind Mikkel Jensen (18, Denmark, Lotus) in P8 came Nicolas Beer (17, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing), who charged up the field to finish in ninth place. The Danish driver had been in P15 on the grid after a tricky weekend but gained six places.
Full points despite shortened race
The Top Ten keep their points despite the shorter duration of the event, because at least 50 percent of the scheduled race was completed.
After securing five wins in the first nine races, Picariello travels to the next race weekend at the Nürburgring (2nd-4th August) as championship leader. The Belgian driver has led the overall standings since the season-opener at Oschersleben and has now extended his lead to 144 points. An exciting fight in the championship is taking place behind him, since just twelve points currently separate Kremer in second place with 96 points and Günther in fifth position on 84 points.
Comments from the Top Three drivers
Beitske Visser (18, Netherlands, Lotus), Winner:
“Only when I saw the red flags around the track did I realise that I had actually won the race. It seemed mighty strange, securing victory with only one proper lap, that’s the first time for me, for sure. Luckily, I overtook Florian Herzog at the start and went into the lead. Race stewards were right not to continue the race. I experienced aquaplaning even at very slow speeds behind the safety car.”
Hendrik Grapp (19, Germany, Mücke Motorsport), Second:
“That was a very peculiar race, but I'm pleased with second place. The race stewards made absolutely the right decision in stopping the race prematurely. Visibility from the cockpit was severely limited by the spray and I spent most of the time in second or third gear. I had a very successful weekend at the Sachsenring, though, and secured a lot of championship points with my win in the first race and second place in the third race.”
Jason Kremer (18, Germany, Schiller Motorsport), Third:
“I didn't want to take any big risks at the beginning of the race because of the tricky weather conditions and poor visibility. I moved up to second place shortly after the start. Unfortunately, I couldn't see anything in my rear-view mirrors because of the spray, so Hendrik Grapp overtook me. When the safety car came out on track, I knew that the race would end. All in all, I'm happy with my race weekend at the Sachsenring, since it has enabled me to move up from third to second place in the championship standings. I'm now looking forward to my home race at the Nürburgring.”