Stars of tomorrow on the attack: New season about to start

• Leclerc, Petecof, Krütten & Co aiming for the top
• Motor racing aces from around the world will be at Oschersleben season opener
• Who will succeed last year's champion, Lirim Zendeli?

Oschersleben: The ADAC Formula 4 motor racing talents have been looking forward to this day for a long time. The new season of the ADAC High-Speed Academy is finally about to start with the opener at Oschersleben this weekend (26th - 28th April). Young drivers from all around the world will be there, including Arthur Leclerc (18, Monaco, US Racing CHRS), brother of Formula 1 shooting star Charles Leclerc. The dream of a glittering career in motorsport is what unites them all. SPORT1 will again broadcast the races of the ADAC High-Speed Academy on TV this year. Racing can also be watched live on the ADAC Formula 4's Facebook channel, on YouTube.com/adac, sport1.de and adac.de/motorsport.

All eyes will be on 18-year-old Arthur Leclerc this weekend. He is making his first appearance in the ADAC Formula 4 and is really looking forward to the start. "The ADAC Formula 4 is a highly competitive race series and is the ideal place to get started in formula racing," says Leclerc Junior: "I'm looking forward to the season and to the many circuits on the calendar that are new to me." Leclerc is thus continuing the tradition of well-known drivers who have contested the ADAC Formula 4 in the past. Other famous names who have previously lined up in the ADAC High-Speed Academy include Mick Schumacher, son of Formula 1 world record champion Michael Schumacher, and David Schumacher, son of Ralf Schumacher, plus Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

Who will succeed last year's champion, Lirim Zendeli (19, Germany, USA Racing CHRS) and who is ready to lay the foundations of a successful career in motorsport? The fifth season of the ADAC Formula 4 will provide the answers. By the way, an interesting series of results is about to be put to the test in the ADAC Formula 4. The winner of the season opener has gone on to secure the title every year so far, as exemplified by Marvin Dienst (2015), Joey Mawson (2016), Juri Vips (2017) and Lirim Zendeli (2018). And so, the class of 2019 are impatient to get the first race of the season under way in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.

Gregoire Saucy (19, Switzerland, R-ace GP) set the pace during pre-season testing at Oschersleben and posted the fastest time in five out of seven sessions. However, he knows that his rivals will wait until the weekend before they show what they can really do. "I feel confident as I start the season but we will not see where we actually stand until after this first race weekend," he said.

Niklas Krütten (16, Germany, Van Amersfoort Racing) finished runner-up in the Rookie classification in 2018 and is aiming for the very top this year. Nothing less than the championship title matters for the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé. "Obviously, the goal is to win the championship," says Krütten. He took his maiden race win last year but was narrowly beaten in the scrap for the Rookie title against David Schumacher (17, Germany, US Racing CHRS). He now intends to draw fresh impetus from his defeat: "I have become even stronger mentally in a scrap. I've learned to keep getting up and keep going!"

Ferrari Junior Gianluca Petecof (16, Brazil, Prema Powerteam) also has big ambitions. He wants to take the next step forward and become established as a top driver.

The new squad at US Racing CHRS will be another source of great interest. The racing team run by ex-Formula 1 and DTM driver Ralf Schumacher and Gerhard Ungar swept the board in 2018, taking all three titles. Zendeli was crowned champion, David Schumacher became Rookie champion, and US Racing CHRS were unbeatable in the team competition. So, the four new drivers, Arthur Leclerc, Theo Pourchaire (15, France), Alessandro Ghiretti (17, France) and Roman Stanek (15, Czech Republic) certainly have a lot to live up to. Also, many more new drivers are joining the series this year and we'll be starting the new season with a fresh deck of cards.

TV schedule for ADAC Formula 4 season opener

SPORT1 27.04.2019 2.30 pm Race 1 LIVE
SPORT1+ 27.04.2019 2.30 pm Race 1 LIVE
SPORT1+ 28.04.2019 9.15 am Race 1 Recording
SPORT1+ 28.04.2019 10.00 am Race 2 LIVE
SPORT1+ 28.04.2019 12.15 pm Race 2 Recording
SPORT1+ 28.04.2019 2.55 pm Race 3 LIVE
SPORT1+ 02.05.2019 3.35 pm Race 1 Recording
SPORT1+ 02.05.2019 5.00 pm Race 2 Recording
SPORT1+ 02.05.2019 7.35 pm Race 3 Recording