Tales from the Lausitzring paddock

• Rookie hat-trick and charity campaign: a very special home race for Mike Ortmann
• Joel Eriksson enters record books as first ADAC Formula 4 'halftime champion'
• Water fight and poolside party to counteract heat wave

Klettwitz: The Lausitzring hosted the fourth race weekend (3rd - 5th July) of the 2015 ADAC Formula 4 season. Around 10,000 fans turned out to watch the three races staged by the ADAC High Speed Academy. All the races were shown live on free-to-air TV channel SPORT1.

An entry in the record books: Joel Eriksson (17, SWE, Motopark) goes down as the first contestant in the history of ADAC Formula 4 to have secured the unofficial title of 'halftime champion'. The Motopark youngster staged a charge up the field from the last row of the grid to finish Race 3 in ninth place, a result that was just enough to edge him past title rival Joey Mawson (19, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing). "It's an incredible feeling to top the championship table after the first half of the season," said five-time race winner Eriksson. "This is the first year of ADAC Formula 4, and I really hope that I'll be making history at the end of the season by adding the real title to this half-time championship."

Perfect home race: The push factor that comes from knowing that you are competing in your home race was demonstrated once again, this time by Mike Ortmann (15, GER, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport). The 15-year-old, whose home town of Ahrensfelde is just 150 kilometres from the Lausitzring, turned in an outstanding performance in front of his home crowd. In all three of the weekend's races, Ortmann was the most successful of all the rookies in the starting field. With a P4 and two fifth-place finishes, the kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport driver took over at the top of the rookie championship for the first time. Ortmann's verdict on Race 3: "The perfect way to round off a super weekend."

For children with cancer: Mike Ortmann had a great idea to raise funds for his favourite charity. The ADAC Formula 4 junior supports Kinderlaecheln - Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder Berlin-Buch e.V., a foundation set up to help children with cancer. He displayed a banner advert on his racing car and also invited sick children and their families to the race track where they had an opportunity to experience the exciting world of motorsport. The flagship action also brought in a cheque for EUR2,500. "Three years ago, I visited a cancer ward for the first time," said Ortmann. "I saw the children there and was deeply touched. We've been supporting this initiative for the past two years, and it was great to see the kids having fun here at the track."

Water fight in the paddock: In record temperatures of around 40 degrees, the ADAC Formula 4 contestants found the perfect way of coping with the heat wave: a water fight in the middle of the paddock. On Saturday evening, the racing stars of the future spontaneously armed themselves with water pistols and buckets ready for a fun time. There wasn't a dry eye in the house...

Cool in the pool: The water fight was not the only remedy against the heat at the Lausitzring. Many of the teams procured inflatable pools of various dimensions which they set up next to their marquees. The giant pool belonging to kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport was one of the most popular rendezvous for some emergency cooling down at the home race of the Berlin-based outfit. SPORT1 presenter Julia Josten even did one live report from inside the pool!

Young TV stars: Carrie Schreiner (16, GER, HTP Junior Team) from Völklingen was the centre of attention for one broadcaster this weekend. A camera crew from RTL shadowed the young lady as she went about her routine at the Lausitzring. The report will be included in an edition of the channel's YOLO magazine programme for youngsters to be broadcast later this year. The show regularly features teenagers with unusual hobbies and interests. Schreiner together with fellow drivers Michelle Halder (15, GER, Engstler Motorsport), Cedric Piro (17, GER, Piro Sports) and Luca Engstler (15, GER, Engstler Motorsport) already made one guest appearance last week in the famous ZDF TV garden.

Unbroken run: Robert Shwartzman (15, RUS, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) maintained his impressive form in the home race for his team, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport. The young Russian finished all three races at the Lausitzring on the podium. This makes it six podiums in a row. No other driver has managed to finish in the Top Three with such regularity. "Overall, that was another good weekend for me, and I want to thank my team," said the 15-year-old with a grin.