Local driver Preining secures pole position at Red Bull Ring

• Preining hoping for win in home race at Red Bull Ring
• Mawson in P1 on grid for start of second race
• Bad luck in qualifying for Mick Schumacher

Spielberg: Racing on home turf, local driver Thomas Preining (18, Austria, Lechner Racing) secured pole position for the first ADAC Formula 4 fixture at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday. One day after his 18th birthday, the only Austrian in the field went fastest in Group A with a best time of 1:30.981 minutes. “I think we can certainly be pleased. The performance of the whole team and myself was pretty good the whole weekend and also during the tests. However, we did exceptionally well just now in qualifying,” said Preining.

Kim-Luis Schramm (Germany, US Racing), who turned 19 on Thursday, and rookie Juri Vips (15, Estonia, Prema Powerteam) followed him home in second and third place respectively. Kami Laliberté (16, Canada, Van Amersfoort Racing) was fourth ahead of birthday boy Jannes Fittje (17, Germany, US Racing) and rookie Juan Manuel Correa (16, USA, Ecuador, Prema Powerteam).

Mike David Ortmann (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg), Nicklas Nielsen (19, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing) Felipe Drugovich (16, Brazil, Neuhauser Racing) and rookie Lirim Zendeli (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV) complete the Top Ten on the grid for the first race.

‘Half-time’ champion Joey Mawson (20, Australia, Van Amersfoort Racing) confirmed his good form once again to start the second half of the season. The Australian set the fastest time in Group B and was also in front where the second fastest lap times are concerned which decide the order on the grid for the second race. However, due to a penalty from the last race in Oschersleben, Mawson must line up in eleventh position in the first race on Saturday (live on SPORT1 at 14:45). But the 20-year-old will start the second race on Sunday from pole position (live on SPORT1 and SPORT1+ at 09.50). “Today was perfect. A double pole – what more do you want? Of course, it’s a pity that I can’t start the first race from pole, but I’ve got pole position safely in the bag for the second race. The car is super, and I’m coping well with the track,” said Mawson.

In the second race, Mawson will start in front of Preining, Laliberté, Fittje, Schramm, Ortmann, Correa, Vips, Zendeli and Drugovich. The grid order for the third race (Sunday at 13.45) is decided by the results from the first race. The Top Ten finishers from that race will line up in reverse order.

Currently in second place in the championship, Mick Schumacher (17, Germany, Prema Powerteam) had some bad luck in qualifying and could not play much of a role in the quali due to a problem. The son of Formula 1 record world championship winner Michael Schumacher will line up in 15th place in the first race. Schumacher Junior will have to launch a charge up the field from grid position 33 in the second fixture.