Sachsenring showdown: Who will finish ahead in grand finale?

• Pourchaire, Hauger, Leclerc and Stanek: Four-way title fight
• Plenty of excitement too in battle for team title
• The three final rounds of season will decide who wins

Munich: Four title contenders – one shared dream. Who can become the new champion in the season finale of the ADAC Formula 4 at the Sachsenring? Championship leader Théo Pourchaire (16, France, US Racing CHRS), Red Bull Junior Dennis Hauger (16, Norway, Van Amersfoort Racing), Arthur Leclerc (18, Monaco, US Racing CHRS) and Rookie champion Roman Stanek (15, Czech Republic, US Racing CHRS) are embroiled in a thrilling battle for the title. This weekend’s grand finale of the ADAC Formula 4 (27th-29th September), to be broadcast live on Sport1, will decide who wins. ADAC Formula 4 races can be followed online at SPORT1.de, adac.de/motorsport, youtube.com/adac and on the ADAC Formula 4 Facebook page.

The stage is set for a heart-stopping grand finale. Championship leader Pourchaire (197 points) is just one point ahead of Hauger (196), 28 up on Leclerc Junior (169) and 45 ahead of Roman Stanek (152). All four still have a chance of winning the championship, as 75 points can be won this weekend in the best-case scenario.

Actually, Pourchaire wanted to wrap things up last race weekend at Hockenheim, but the young Frenchman suffered from nerves for the first time this season. Instead of having a party to celebrate a championship win before the season has even ended, Pourchaire only secured eight points at Hockenheim’s Formula 1 track. “It was a very bad weekend, in which not much came together,” he said in retrospect. But Pourchaire still has everything to play for and is looking to the future and the next match point: “We intend to use our second chance to secure the title in the finale.”

Of course, the three behind him in hot pursuit might have something to say about that, especially 16-year-old Norwegian teenager, Dennis Hauger, who has shown that he should be a force to be reckoned with in the sprint to the finish. He made ADAC Formula 4 history with three race wins at Hockenheim but knows only too well just how quickly the tide can turn in the ADAC High-Speed Academy. In Race 1 previously at the Nürburgring, he was forced to retire while in the lead, and so, intends to take each race as it comes. But of course, he will stake everything on winning the title in the grand finale. “I had a bit of a rest and recharged my batteries after Hockenheim,” he told us: “I’m now fully focused for the final weekend at the Sachsenring.”

However, 18-year-old Arthur Leclerc, younger brother of Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc, is still not ready to throw in the towel yet. “I’ll do my utmost and push until the very last corner,” he promised. Team-mate, Roman Stanek, was crowned best Rookie of the 2019 ADAC Formula 4 season earlier at Hockenheim and wants to “see what’s possible” in the final round. He can start the race without a care in the world, because unlike his three opponents, he already has one title in the bag.

Pourchaire, Leclerc and Stanek also have another major goal to fulfill. They want to lead their outfit, US Racing CHRS, to success in the team competition. The Kerpen-based team managed jointly by Team Principals, Ralf Schumacher and Gerhard Ungar, are on 434 points, but Van Amersfoort Racing gained a lot of ground on them at Hockenheim and are not far behind in second place with 422 points.

US Racing CHRS won all three titles last year when Lirim Zendeli became champion, David Schumacher won the Rookie title and the team championship title also went to the outfit. If US Racing CHRS can do it again in 2019, then it would be a first in the ADAC Formula 4.