Leclerc triumphant on Formula 1 weekend at Hockenheim

• Maiden win for Arthur Leclerc, brother of Ferrari star Charles Leclerc
• France’s Pourchaire tops championship table – Stanek is Best Rookie

Hockenheim: Arthur Leclerc (18, Monaco, US Racing CHRS) could hardly have chosen a more fitting occasion on which to secure his first ADAC Formula 4 victory. The brother of Ferrari star Charles Leclerc (21) won the eighth race of the 2019 ADAC High-Speed Academy, which also happened to be on the standout weekend of the year, staged as part of the support programme to Formula 1 at Hockenheim. First to congratulate the winner was Charles Leclerc, who gave his three-year-younger brother a big hug in the pits at the end of the race. Arthur Leclerc, who is a member of the US Racing CHRS squad managed by Ralf Schumacher and Gerhard Ungar, crossed the line ahead of Saturday’s winner Dennis Hauger (16, Norway, Van Amersfoort Racing) and championship leader Théo Pourchaire (16, France, US Racing CHRS) to register a maiden ADAC Formula 4 win. Best rookie was Roman Stanek (15, Czech Republic, US Racing CHRS) in fifth place.

“It’s a great feeling to win here in front of this great backdrop,” said Sauber Junior Leclerc. “It was a tough race, with ups and downs. I am extremely happy to have brought the victory safely home. It was a very intense weekend with a lot of media attention. But when I’m in the car, I shut it all out.” Frédéric Vasseur, boss of the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team, also warmly congratulated the 18-year-old.

Just outside the podium group was Gianluca Petecof (16, Brazil, Prema Powerteam) in fourth. He was followed home by Roman Stanek, Alessandro Ghiretti (17, France, US Racing CHRS), Niklas Krütten (16, Germany, Van Amersfoort Racing), Giorgio Carrara (18, Argentina, Jenzer Motorsport), Lucas Alecco Roy (22, Monaco, Van Amersfoort Racing) and Gregoire Saucy (19, Switzerland, R-ace GP).

Théo Pourchaire, who took second place on Saturday, continues to lead the table. “Third place this time, but again a good points haul,” said the 16-year-old. “I am very satisfied with that. And I’m also delighted for Arthur after his win. For us as a team, these are enormously vital points.”

At the start, Leclerc initially lost the lead to Hauger who surged ahead in the first few metres. Hauger led the field into the hairpin where Leclerc regained the lead. Leclerc was pleased with the overtaking move: “I became aware that our pace was really good. When Hauger left the door open, I took the chance.”

After an action-packed opening phase, the Top Three pulled out something of a gap, but this was not to last. In a battle for position between Sebastian Estner (17, Germany, Van Amersfoort Racing) and Nico Göhler (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.), the two cars touched, spun across the track and caught up Alessandro Famularo (15, Venezuela, Prema Powerteam) in the melee. All three were unable to continue, and the safety car came out onto the track. The race restarted after six minutes but had to be halted again shortly thereafter, this time to facilitate the recovery of the car driven by Michael Belov (17, Russia). The second restart came with just under eight minutes left on the clock. Leclerc then successfully defended his lead to the chequered flag.

This closing stage of the race was by no means comfortable for the 18-year-old, however, as he drifted off the track at one point and subsequently came under severe pressure from Hauger. “Unfortunately, it was not quite enough,” said the Norwegian runner-up. “Nevertheless, this has been a very successful weekend for me to build on.”

The undergraduates of the ADAC High-Speed Academy cannot afford to sit back in the next two weeks, as the fourth round of the competition is due to take place on the weekend of 9th - 11th August at Zandvoort. They will then once again be racing in the context of the senior ADAC GT Masters series.