Lights-to-flag win for Mick Schumacher in ADAC Formula 4

• Schumacher claims fourth victory of season at Nürburgring
• Championship leader Mawson finishes second ahead of Ortmann – Nielsen best rookie
• Second race on Sunday: Mawson to line up ahead of Ortmann and Schumacher

Nürburg: Mick Schumacher (17, Germany, Prema Powerteam) won the 16th round of the 2016 ADAC Formula 4 at the Nürburgring. In an exciting race, the son of record Formula 1 championship winner Michael Schumacher beat off competition from championship leader Joey Mawson (20, Australia, Van Amersfoort Racing) and ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Mike David Ortmann (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V). Schumacher told SPORT1, ADAC Formula 4’s exclusive live broadcast partner: “It was close to begin with. I struggled to draw away from Joey. He was very fast, but then things just clicked into place. I was able to pull away and push.”

Behind the leading trio in fourth place was Nicklas Nielsen (19, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing), who also finished as best rookie, trailed by three rivals in the class for newcomers, Yuri Vips (15, Estonia, Prema Powerteam), Juan Manuel Correa (16, USA/Ecuador, Prema Powerteam) and Richard Verschoor (15, Netherlands, Motopark). Thomas Preining (18, Austria, Lechner Racing), Simo Laaksonen (17, Finland, Motopark) and ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Jannes Fittje (17, Germany, US Racing) completed the Top Ten. Fittje secured pole position for the third race on Sunday afternoon (live on SPORT1+ at 14:50) in which grid positions are determined by the result of the first race – the Top Ten start in reverse order.

The two championship contenders Schumacher and Mawson fought an enthralling, high-calibre battle for position right from the start this Saturday afternoon. In the first stint of the race, the Australian repeatedly launched overtaking moves, but Schumacher kept him at bay, counterattacking again and again as he defended his lead. In the closing stages, the 17-year-old finally drew away from Mawson, who is three years his senior, to win by 2.6 seconds. Ortmann drove a flawless race behind the leading pair to secure his seventh podium finish.

For Schumacher, it was the fourth win of the season and the first after a barren run of seven races. In the championship standings, the 17-year-old has increased his points tally to 233 and slightly closed the gap to Mawson. After making his twelfth podium appearance of the campaign, the Australian now has 272 points on the board. Ortmann is third on 172 points.

In the second race of the weekend and the 17th of the season (Sunday 10:30, live on SPORT1 and SPORT1+), Mawson will start from pole position. Alongside and behind will be Ortmann and Mawson’s main championship rival Schumacher. They will be followed by Correa, Vips, Nielsen, Preining, Verschoor, Laaksonen and Felipe Drugovich (16, Brazil, Neuhauser Racing).

Further comments on the ADAC Formula 4 race:

Joey Mawson (second, Van Amersfoort Racing): “Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to overtake Mick. It’s a pity, but overall we’re satisfied with the result. We’re starting from pole tomorrow, so obviously we’re aiming to get the win. I’m feeling quite relaxed about the third race.”

Mike David Ortmann (third, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.): “I’m satisfied to a certain extent. Joey overtook me on the outside at the start. After that, I spent the whole race in third place. I kept getting closer and closer, but Joey knows when and where he needs to go fast.”

Nicklas Nielsen (fourth and best rookie, Neuhauser Racing): “I intend to do even better tomorrow; I want to score as many podium finishes as possible. Today, I had a few problems at the start: Vips overtook me, and I had to give it everything I’d got to repass him. Luckily, that worked out OK.”