Hauger celebrates third win of the 2019 ADAC Formula 4 season

• Leclerc in P2 makes up vital points in the championship fight
• Current championship leader Pourchaire forced to retire

Hockenheim: 16-year-old Dennis Hauger from Norway won the 15th race of the 2019 ADAC Formula 4 at the Hockenheimring to keep alive his chances of claiming the title. Driving for Van Amersfoort Racing on this penultimate race weekend of the season, he won Race 1 in the junior series ahead of US Racing CHRS driver, Arthur Leclerc (18, Monaco). At the same time, Leclerc gained valuable ground in the championship on his team-mate, Théo Pourchaire (16, France, US Racing CHRS), who currently tops the table. The French teenager retired just before the end of the race while in second place after a contact with Leclerc, who reduced his deficit in the championship to 35 points as a result.

"We went into the weekend with the aim of securing as many points as possible and driving consistently," said Dennis Hauger after booking his third win of the season. "I hope we are back in business now, as we intend to narrow the gap even further. I had the race well under control, avoided taking any risks and am feeling very satisfied."

Hauger had already shown impressive form during the first race weekend at the Hockenheimring in late July when he secured a win and a second place. In the championship standings, the Red Bull Junior has moved up to third place, 43 points behind Pourchaire. He will be on pole again for the second race of the weekend on Sunday at 10:50 CEST. Joshua Dürksen (16, Paraguay, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) completed the party on the podium in the first race and was also Best Rookie.

Pole-sitter Pourchaire defended his lead at the start without any problems as Hauger and Leclerc slotted into place behind him. There was a contact in the first corner between Nico Göhler (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) and Lucas Alecco Roy (22 Monaco, Van Amersfoort Racing). Göhler got stuck in the gravel trap and the safety car came out. On the restart, Pourchaire initially held on to P1 as they approached the hairpin until Hauger popped out of his slipstream where he had been getting a tow and outbraked his rival.

Hauger subsequently controlled the race but was unable to pull out a significant gap to the pursuing bunch. On the penultimate lap, Leclerc launched another attack on Pourchaire in P2. He tried to follow Hauger's example in the hairpin and overtake the French driver on the inside. They made contact, but while Leclerc was able to continue the race, Pourchaire had to park his car at the side of the track. Dürksen took advantage of the incident and drove to his second podium of the season. Rookie Paul Aron (15, Estonia, Prema Powerteam) finished fourth ahead of Gregoire Saucy (19, Switzerland, R-ace GP).

Brazil's Gianluca Petecof (16, Prema Powerteam) mounted a heroic charge from the back of the grid to finish sixth. 18-year-old Israeli Ido Cohen (Van Amersfoort Racing) came in seventh, ahead of Czech contestant Roman Stanek (15, US Racing CHRS) and Denmark's Oliver Rasmussen (18, Prema Powerteam). Rounding off the Top Ten was Sebastian Estner (17, GER, Van Amersfoort Racing). The ADAC High-Speed Academy is back in action on Sunday with two more races, one in the morning and one in the afternoon at 17:00 CEST.

Further comments on the ADAC Formula 4 race

Arthur Leclerc (Second, US Racing CHRS): "That's not how a race should end. It was hard to overtake Théo. When I saw the opportunity, he pulled back in, but there wasn't enough room for both of us. I feel sorry for him. I am happy with second place and with the points, but I would have been even happier if we'd finished second and third, because we are team-mates and the team deserves better than this."

Joshua Dürksen (third overall and Best Rookie, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.): "The last time we were here in Hockenheim, things did not go so well. But I learned a lot and I feel really good in the car. I am very happy. In qualifying, things went great, and our pace in the race was excellent. It can - and indeed should - carry on like this."