Tales from the Red Bull Ring paddock

• Alessio Picariello continues amazing winning streak
• Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko visits Red Bull Juniors
• Local driver Stefan Riener achieves his best results of the season

Spielberg – Formel ADAC travelled to Spielberg in Austria for the second foreign leg of the season (9th-11th August). 10,000 spectators were at the Red Bull Ring during the ADAC GT Masters weekend and watched the three exciting races of the ADAC’s high-speed academy.

From victory to victory: Alessio Picariello continued his run of successes in the Formel ADAC. The championship leader won the first two races at the Red Bull Ring and leads the overall standings in the run-up to the sixth race weekend of the year at the Lausitzring (30th August-1st September). The Belgian is expert at winning the second race of each race weekend: so far this season, he has won the second race during each of the five race weekends. During 2013, Picariello has stood on the top spot of the podium nine times already. In Formel ADAC history, only Richie Stanaway has achieved the same success rate in the first 14 championship races. In 2010, the New Zealander secured a total of twelve victories before being crowned champion.

Animal mascot: Maximilian Günther had a very appropriate lucky charm on board for the Red ‘Bull’ Ring, a special ‘Bull’ mastiff made of fabric. “The dog protects my car,” said the ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV driver. It was the mechanics of the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé who hit on the idea of an animal lucky charm. When things get serious, though, Gun, that’s what the plush dog is called, has to watch on from the pits. “Otherwise, he could affect the aerodynamics,” said Günther, jokingly. Gun has apparently been a big help as Günther again secured double pole and two podiums as at the Nürburgring weekend previously.

Dr Helmut Marko pays flying visit: Red Bull Juniors Beitske Visser and Callan O’Keeffe had an important visitor in Austria. Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko called to see his protégés race at the Red Bull Ring. South African O’Keeffe was delighted to meet the former Formula 1 driver for the first time during a race weekend this year. “Dr Marko is very understanding and is always ready to provide help and advice,” said the Lotus driver.

Return to home race: The fans at the Red Bull Ring had double reason to cheer on their local heroes. Apart from Neuhauser Racing, another Austrian team, HS Engineering, lined up in the three races in Styria. The crew from Siegendorf, who can look back on ten years of success in motor racing, had returned especially for their home race in the Formel ADAC. Zaid Ashkanani (17, Kuwait, HS Engineering) took his place in the cockpit for HS Engineering. “That was a really great experience,” said the 17-year-old. “The series is organised very professionally, and it was a lot of fun to see how I compare to the other drivers.”

Successful home race: Stefan Riener found his feet in his home race at the Red Bull Ring. The only Austrian in the international field of Formel ADAC drivers finished in the points in all three races for the first time this season. He secured fifth place in the second race, his best result so far in his debut year in the ADAC’s high-speed academy. He collected more points in Styria than in the previous twelve races. The Neuhauser Racing driver had actually set himself the goal of achieving a podium on home turf, but Riener remains optimistic: “With the benefit of my new found experience, I will continue to attack and a podium will be mine eventually, for sure.”

Safety first: The safety of drivers and all persons involved in the race has top priority in the Formel ADAC. To be fully prepared for all possible emergencies, ‘Emergency Medical Service sports Austria’ that was founded in 1996, paid Schiller Motorsport a visit. Fabian Schiller was pleased to help with a rescue exercise. “We perform these exercises regularly with a variety of vehicles, so that we are well prepared for all eventualities,” said the team’s doctor. Within just eight seconds, the emergency team had removed Schiller from his single-seater racing car that is built to comply with the very stringent safety requirements of Formula 3.