Tales from the paddock at Oschersleben

• 1, 2, 3 – Vesti’s maiden victory, Armstrong’s second and Drugovich’s third
• Mick Wishofer with three rookie wins at weekend
• Juri Vips leads overall standings as F4 heads off on summer break

Fourth meeting of the ADAC Formula 4. The formula motor racing juniors lined up for the
second time this season in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. The ‘half-time’ champion
of the ADAC high-speed school was decided under the banner of the TCR International,
under which the ADAC TCR Germany also lined up. After the summer vacation, on the
weekend of 4th/6th August, the F4 circus will travel to the Nürburgring, which is
celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, for races 13, 14 and 15. The juniors will race
there alongside the ADAC GT Masters and the ADAC TCR Germany once again.

Keep moving: ‘Kiwi’ Marcus Armstrong (16, New Zealand Prema Powerteam) secured his
second win of the season. With win number three, Felipe Drugovich (17, Brazil, Van
Amersfoort Racing) crowned himself ‘half-time’ champion, having taken the most wins so
far. But Juri Vips (16, Estonia, Prema Powerteam) regained the lead in the overall
standings thanks to his P3 on Sunday. Frederik Vesti (15, Van Amersfoort Racing) rounded
off a successful weekend for the Dutch team with his maiden victory in the third race. Vesti
was exactly 15 years and 177 days old on Sunday, becoming the second-youngest driver
ever to take his maiden win after Beckmann, who was 15 years and 159 days old when he
won the 2015 season finale at Hockenheim.

You never stop learning: Just before the start of the summer hols, the ADAC invited the
juniors to another series of lessons which they regularly run in conjunction with the FIA
World Federation. During the training session on Friday afternoon, various scenarios from
previous races were analysed in detail, using video footage.

Clean sweep: Mick Wishofer (17, Austria) achieved something this weekend that is a rare
occurrence in the annals of the ADAC Formula 4. The Lechner Racing rookie won the rookie
standings in all three races for the Austrian team, taking three trophies back home to
Vienna as a result. Since the launch of the ADAC Formula 4, clean sweeps have only ever
been achieved by two other drivers. David Beckmann (17, racing for ADAC Berlin-
Brandenburg eV at the time) emerged victorious in all three rookie competitions both at
the Nürburgring and at the season finale in Hockenheim last year. And Mike David
Ortmann (17, Germany), who was his team-mate back then, finished on the winner’s
podium three times as best rookie at the Lausitzring in 2015.

Nice to see you, to see you nice!: Joey Mawson (21, Australia, Van Amersfoort Racing) and
Mike David Ortmann (17, Germany, BWT Mücke Motorsport) paid a visit to their former
team-mates at the weekend. 2016 ADAC Formula 4 champion Mawson supported Van-Amersfoort buddies Felipe Drugovich, Kami Laliberte (17, Canada), Louis Gachot (17, Great
Britain) and Frederik Vesti in their fixtures and also presented the trophies for the third
race. “It’s really cool to be back again. The team were very successful, and it was a terrific
experience for me to be at the track as coach,” said the Australian, who currently races in
Formula 3 just like his ex-ADAC Formula 4 team-mate, Mick Schumacher (18, Germany,
Prema Powerteam) and surprised everyone with a new hair-style just like Kami Laliberté.
Mike David Ortmann will also soon be back racing. The 17-year-old will contest the next
ADAC GT Masters meeting at the end of July in Zandvoort. Ortmann is currently ranked eighth in the junior standings.

Successful move: Luca Engstler celebrated the most successful weekend of his nascent
career just a stone’s throw from the ADAC Formula 4 paddock. After two years in the ADAC
Formula 4, young Engstler has finally arrived in the ADAC TCR Germany. The fact that he
has learned a lot in the ADAC’s Academy for Formula Racing Juniors over the past few
years was amply demonstrated by his first two TCR podiums and lead in the TCR rookie
standings. The 17-year-old also contested both races in the TCR International Series in
order to gain more experience.

Going like hot cakes: His autograph cards went like hot cakes. Doureid ‘Dodo’ Ghattas (15,
Bonn, Team Piro Interdental) is proving very popular with fans – not least because of his
part in Pole Position, KiKA’s long-running documentary about motor racing trainees, which
was broadcast during 2016 and 2017. The TV channel showed clips of the ADAC Sports
Foundation protégé during his karting days.

Exam success: Lirim Zendeli (17, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany) has now
got his school-leaving certificate and has also achieved his first success in the assessments
at the Deutsche Post Speed Academy. The 17-year-old finished in the points again with
third place in the third race at Oschersleben. He took his maiden win in the ADAC Formula
4 at the start of the season in the third race at the same venue.

New faces – new team: Oliver Caldwell lined up for the first time in the German junior
series. Caldwell, who normally contests the British Formula 4 series, raced for Berlin-based
team ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV in the Motorsport Arena and took the chequered flag in
all three races over the weekend. Laurin Heinrich will contest this season’s remaining
fixtures for Rennsport Rössler after competing with his new outfit for the first time.