Tales from the paddock at the Hockenheimring

• Oktoberfest atmosphere at final ADAC Formula 4 party of season
• Strange sprint becomes a Facebook hit
• Joey Mawson is going for his first Formula 3 tests after successful drive

Hockenheim, Germany: The final round of the ADAC Formula 4 at the Hockenheimring produced another excellent display of junior formula motor racing. Taking his first major title, Joey Mawson (20, Australia, Van Amersfoort Racing) added the final flourish to his CV for entry into Formula 3. Mick Schumacher (17, Germany, Prema Powerteam) showed what great potential he has as a driver by going on a breathtaking charge, and ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Mike David Ortmann (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) also showed that he is ready for higher things by placing third overall in the standings. The team title went to Italian outfit, Prema Powerteam. Nicklas Nielsen (19, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing) won the Rookie rankings.

Quick as a flash from track to 'Wiesn': Just two hours after the last race of the 2016 ADAC Formula 4 season, the Greschbachhalle at the Hockenheimring had been transformed into an Oktoberfest tent complete with gastronomic delights such as grilled chicken and knuckle of pork and drinks, plus musical entertainment and a rousing 'O'zapft is'. Connor De Philippi and Christopher Mies, the new ADAC GT Masters champions, were given the job of tapping a 30-litre barrel of beer provided by the Swabian brewery, Dinkelacker, to celebrate a successful season that featured the tenth anniversary of the ADAC GT Masters, the second year of ADAC Formula 4 and the successful debut of ADAC TCR Germany. Many guests took the opportunity to dress up in traditional Bavarian costume, including drivers Sophia Flörsch, Marylin Niederhauser and Carrie Schreiner, who looked very comely in their dirndl outfits.

The original winners' trophies which were being presented for the first time, were very enthusiastically received. The 'trophies' were 1:8 scale model reproductions of the cars used in the ADAC Formula 4 series. Painted ADAC-yellow and bearing the logos of series partners, the vehicles were mounted on plastic stands, on which the driver's name and position are engraved. The top three drivers overall, winner Joey Mawson, runner-up Mick Schumacher and third-placed driver, Mike David Ortmann, also each received 10,000, 7,500 and 5,000 euros prize money. Rookie champion Nicklas Nielsen got a new engine on the understanding that he enters again in 2017. The second-placed driver in the rookie standings, Vips, was presented with two sets of rims as well as four sets of tyres, while Correa won one set of rims and four sets of tyre.

Kay One, the German rapper and internet star was a guest of ADAC Formula 4 driver Sophia Flörsch (15, Germany, Motopark) at Hockenheim. They have been friends for some time. Just this September, the musician and ADAC Sports Foundation protégée Flörsch raced against each other around the track at Bilster Berg.

Sprint of the day: Robin Brezina (17, Germany, Rennsport Rössler) and Oliver Söderström (18, Sweden, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) ended the 2016 season by doing the craziest thing of the year. The two sprint drivers sprinted out of the gravel bed together after a contact ended their race. The clip was a huge hit on the Internet, attracting 500,000 views alone on the ADAC Formula 4 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ADACformel4.

From Hockenheim to Monza for Joey Mawson: The Australian will undertake his first test drives this week with Van Amersfoort Racing prior to a move into Formula 3. Mawson, who is delighted to still have the support of his Australian sponsor PODIUM, completed his first test run with VAR at the Red Bull Ring last year. Apart from Mawson, Harrison Newey, who was an ADAC Formula 4 driver last year and has already competed in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, and Canadian Canadian Kami Laliberté, who finished this year's ADAC Formula 4 season in ninth place, will also be testing in Monza.

Record-breaking champion: This season, Joey Mawson beat the record set by last year's champion, Marvin Dienst. While Dienst ended the 2015 debut season with eight wins and 347 points, the Australian notched up a whopping points total of 374 and ten wins. With a total of 15 wins in 2015 and 2016, the 20-year-old from down under now reigns supreme as ADAC Formula 4 record holder.

Mike David Ortmann went out on track, sporting a new paint job. Usually, the Berlin-based driver really stands out in the field in his orange ADAC Formula 4 car prepared by ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. Thanks to exclusive partner 'xevIT networks.' Ortmann had a new silver-blue paint finish for the final weekend which was so unfamiliar to him, that even he passed the car by once or twice, as he told us sheepishly.

Newcomer: Guest entrant Jordan Love (17, Australia, SMC Schwärzler Motorsport) posted his first few kilometres in the ADAC Formula 4, making a remarkable debut. Currently second overall in the Australian Formula 4 series, the Australian retired from the first race but then finished Race 2 in P18 and Race 3 in P23.

DTM driver Bruno Spengler once again showed off his expertise at the side of Sport1 commentator Patrick Simon and was also pleased to see his protégé Louis Gachot (17, Great Britain), who drives for Kerpen-based team, US Racing, secure his first championship point in the last Formula 4 race of the season.

Hockenheim was the highlight of the season for Marylin Niederhauser (21, Switzerland, Lechner Racing), who got the chance to meet her role model at the Hockenheimring, Christina Surer. Expressing her delight at meeting the Swiss presenter and model, she told us: “Christina has managed to be successful as a woman in motor racing. It would be great to follow her career path one day.”