Resonant names and big ambitions in ADAC Formula 4

Fourth season of ADAC High-Speed Academy about to get underway
David Schumacher, Enzo Fittipaldi and 19 other drivers in line-up
SPORT1 to show races from Oschersleben on TV
Munich: Names to conjure with, a female ex-boss of a Formula 1 team and aspiring talents dreaming of a career in motorsport career – the fourth season of ADAC Formula 4 starts on the weekend of 13th - 15th April at Oschersleben and promises to be a thrilling affair. The waiting, the testing, the preparations are all coming to an end, and very soon the talented youngsters will be vying for honours at Oschersleben. SPORT1 will be showing the three ADAC Formula 4 races on TV. They can also be watched online via the free livestreams on sport1.de, adac.de/motorsport and youtube.com/adac.

The names of Schumacher and Fittipaldi are familiar to all motorsports fans, and although Ralf Schumacher and Emerson Fittipaldi competed in very different eras of Formula 1, their offspring are now about to line up in ADAC Formula 4. David Schumacher (16, Germany, US Racing - CHRS) is driving for the team run by his father Ralf, while Enzo Fittipaldi (16, Brazil), grandson of two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson, will compete for reigning team champions Prema Powerteam.

But it’s not just these two who fancy their chances on the opening weekend of the campaign at Oschersleben. The field for the season opener at the circuit near Magdeburg comprises 21 juniors, each with aspirations of making it onto the podium. Reigning rookie champion Mick Wishofer (18, Austria) and Lirim Zendeli (18, Bochum), who finished fourth overall last year, have both joined US Racing - CHRS.

Andreas (17, Germany) and Sebastian (16, Germany) Estner are the first pair of brothers in the history of the ADAC Formula 4 and have been signed by Neuhauser Racing team. Monisha Kaltenborn, was in charge of Formula 1 outfit Sauber until last June. She is now team manager at KDC Racing, supporting youngsters as they take their first step on the formula racing ladder.

The season comprises eight events, the highlight of which comes on the weekend of 20th 22nd July when ADAC Formula 4 shares the billing with the Formula 1 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

The drivers and teams have been training hard over the past weeks and months to be in peak form for the season opener. Frederik Vesti (16, Denmark, Van Amersfoort Racing) made the biggest impression during the tests in late March at the Motorsport Arena. The Dane was the fastest in four out of seven sessions and also set the absolute best time of the week.

Lirim Zendeli, who is now into his third season, was also fast in the tests and has set his sights on the title: “I want be one of the front-runners and to be in contention for the championship. On the basis of the tests, I am feeling optimistic about the first race weekend. I’ve now completed my final school exams which leaves me free to concentrate fully on motorsport.” The 18-year-old sees Vesti and Fittipaldi as his main rivals for the title, as they are both “quick off the mark” and “not to be underestimated”. But he is convinced that US Racing - CHRS are going to have a say in the final destination of ADAC Formula 4 trophy.

Van Amersfoort Racing from the Netherlands are sounding equally confident. VAR driver Felipe Drugovich (17, Brazil) won the championship in 2017, one year after Australia’s Joey Mawson (22) claimed the title for the team. And as already intimated, Frederik Vesti is a prime contender for the title.

It’s all change at ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg. They are pinning their hopes on Niklas Krütten (15, Germany), Ido Cohen (16, Israel) and Leon Köhler (18, Germany), i.e. no fewer than three of the seven rookies making their ADAC Formula 4 debut. The other four are Sebastian Estner, David Schumacher, Joey Alders (18, Netherlands, Van Amersfoort Racing) and Gianluca Petecof (15, Brazil, Prema Powerteam).

ADAC Formula 4 at Oschersleben on TV
SPORT1 Sat 14/04/18 11:00 Race 1 LIVE
SPORT1+ Sat 14/04/18 11:00 Race 1 LIVE
SPORT1.de Sat 14/04/18 11:00 Race 1 LIVE
SPORT1.de Sat 14/04/18 16:25 Race 2 LIVE
SPORT1+ Sat 14/04/18 22:30 Race 2 Exclusive
SPORT1+ Sun 15/04/18 03:00 Race 1 Recording
SPORT1+ Sun 15/04/18 05:35 Race 2 Recording
SPORT1.de Sun 15/04/18 15:40 Race 3 LIVE
SPORT1+ Sun 15/04/18 17:00 Race 3 Exclusive
SPORT1+ Tue 17/04/18 05:50 Race 1 Recording
SPORT1+ Tue 17/04/18 06:30 Race 2 Recording
SPORT1+ Tue 17/04/18 07:10 Race 3 Recording
SPORT1+ Wed 18/04/18 05:50 Race 3 Recording
n-tv Sat 21/04/18 09:30 PS - ADAC GT Masters
n-tv Sun 22/04/18 07:30 PS - ADAC GT Masters