- The Austrian team will field the two rookies, Wagner and Wishofer
-
Robert Lechner: “Top-class field of drivers this year“
-
Talent factory since 1975: Lechner Racing School
Munich: Young blood in the ADAC Formula 4. Team Lechner Racing have two rookies in their line-up this year – Richard Wagner (17, Germany) and Mick Wishofer (17, Austria). And they have already achieved some success. At Oschersleben, Wishofer was best rookie in the second race of his first ADAC Formula 4 weekend, and Richard Wagner finished on the podium as best rookie at the Lausitzring Motorsport Festival, again in the second race. The Austrian team intend to be among the top contenders again in their home fixture at the Red Bull Ring (9th - 11th June).
"We're returning to the Red Bull Ring with some really great memories from last year, and of course, we're very much looking forward to our home fixture," said Robert Lechner, the team's Sporting Director and joint Team Principal of Lechner Racing School along with his brother Walter. "Last year, with Tommy Preining, we celebrated both his and our maiden victory in the ADAC Formula 4." This year, though, Lechner is slightly more focused on the rookie standings and thinks it would be brilliant if one of their drivers "could finish on the top rung of the podium in the rookie championship again."
The Lechners particularly like the high standard of this year's field of ADAC Formula 4 entrants. "It's nice to have had so many different winners so far and to have seen so many different faces on the podium. As far as quality goes, the field is just as competitive as in previous years," said Lechner, adding: "And we have some real rookies taking part this year. For example, our very own Richard Wagner. He's not even had any previous karting experience, and Mick Wishofer, who has just moved up from karting straight into the ADAC Formula 4."
Mick Wishofer hopes that his good form will continue in his home race. "I grew up not far from the Red Bull Ring, but have never raced there before, which is a great pity," said the 17-year-old, who now lives in Vienna. "Competing in front of a home crowd must definitely feel really special. My goal is to rack up plenty of points in the rookie standings and maybe even achieve a finish in the Top Ten. Most of my family and lots of friends will be there. This will certainly be my personal highlight of the season."
Richard Wagner also wants to secure more success after his first podium at the Lausitzring. "I'd never competed in a professional race before the ADAC Formula 4 and had always hoped to secure a great result, but not so quickly!" said the Bavarian. "All the pressure just fell away, and I experienced a sense of pure joy. I can see that I'm consistently improving. The team and I really deserved that great result after all our hard work."
Lechner Racing even intend to deploy a third car at the Red Bull Ring. The Russian Artem Petrov (17) will be making his ADAC Formula 4 debut after previously competing in the Italian junior formula racing series. "Artem would really like to get to know the grand prix circuits, and the Red Bull Ring is very popular because of its location and is also a firm favourite on the racing calendar of many formula racing series," said Lechner, who may decide to field the Russian again as a guest starter in other races.
For generations, Lechner Racing has focused on training young drivers. Walter Lechner first sat in a racing car at the Salzburgring in 1975. Three years later, the Viennese-born driver was crowned Formula Ford European champion and fielded six formula racing cars in three different race series as Lechner Racing's Team Principal. Many young drivers, including Alexander Wurz and Christian Klien, have since passed through the Lechner Racing School, laying the foundations for a subsequent move up into Formula 1.
"My brother Walter and I spent a great deal of our childhood at the former Österreichring, because that was where our father set up and headquartered Lechner Racing School. The Österreichring was a bit like our second home at the time," said Lechner.
And today's rookies, Richard Wagner and Mick Wishofer, also dream of carving out careers in motor racing. "I want to be able to get established in motor racing and make my living from what turns me on," said Wishofer, who knows that there is still a long way to go: "Perhaps I'll even make it into Formula 1, but I've got a lot to learn. I'm still only just starting out on training to be a racing driver."