Race 1 : Joey Mawson wins Race 1 at the Lausitzring
The battle for the unofficial title of ADAC Formula 4 ‘halftime champion’ is hotting up. Joey Mawson (19, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing) won the first of three races at the Lausitzring and has increased his chances of taking the first ‘half-time championship’ in the ADAC High Speed Academy. The Australian claimed his second victory and fourth podium of the season.
Robert Shwartzman (15, RUS, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) also continued his strong run of form. In the home race for his kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport team, the young Russian came second and celebrated his fourth consecutive podium finish. Marvin Dienst (18, GER, HTP Juniorteam) completed the Top Three and still has chances of coming out on top in the first half of the 2015 campaign.
Mawson lays foundation for victory in the first few metres
« The weekend couldn’t have got off to a better start, » said Mawson after picking up the first winner’s trophy of the fourth race weekend. From second on the grid, the Van Amersfoort Racing driver immediately wrested control of the race from pole-setter Marvin Dienst and then went on to build up a comfortable lead of several seconds over the next few laps. Even a late safety car deployment left Mawson unruffled as he defended his lead against closest pursuer Shwartzman and saw the victory home after a race lasting 20 laps.
After a run of three third places, Shwartzman achieved his best result yet in ADAC Formula 4. Having started from fifth on the grid, the 15-year-old skilfully avoided getting caught up in the mayhem at the start to overtake Dienst and move up into fourth. There then developed a thrilling three-way battle for second place between Janneau Esmeijer (18, NED, HTP Juniorteam), Shwartzman and Dienst, from which the kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport youngster emerged triumphant. Following a collision with Tim Zimmermann (18, GER, Neuhauser Racing), Esmeijer then dropped out of the points-scoring places.
Best performance to date by local favourite Ortmann
Also involved in the hard-fought action for the top positions was Mike Ortmann (15, GER, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) from the town of Ahrensfelde which is 150 kilometres from the Lausitzring. At one stage, the local favourite was up to third but ultimately had to yield the position to Dienst. In finishing fourth, Ortmann not only secured his best ADAC Formula 4 result to date but also picked up a trophy for best-placed rookie. Crossing the line behind Ortmann was team-mate and fellow series newcomer, David Beckmann (15, GER, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) with yet another Top Five finish for the Berlin-based racing stable.
Jannes Fittje (15, GER, Motopark), Kim Luis Schramm (17, GER, Neuhauser Racing) and Jonathan Cecotto (15, VEN, Motopark), the son of ex-Formula 1 and DTM driver Johnny Cecotto, completed the Top Eight in the first of three races at the Lausitzring.
Race 2 : Joel Eriksson wins battle of the title contenders at Lausitzring
He was a mere spectator in the first race but was delighted in the second round to finish on the top rung of the podium: Joel Eriksson (17, SWE, Motopark) won the second ADAC Formula 4 race at the Lausitzring. The championship leader did not take part in the action until Saturday afternoon after receiving a penalty in qualifying and being excluded from the race. Eriksson secured his fifth win of the season from third place on the grid. The party on the podium was completed by winner of the opening race Joey Mawson (19, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing) and Robert Shwartzman (15, RUS, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport), who is contesting a home fixture for his team, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport.
« This victory was really a great relief for me. I fought hard against Joey and won through in the end, » said Eriksson, who now has the best chance of winning the first ‘half-time’ championship in the ADAC High-Speed Academy.
Eriksson seizes his chance
Mawson looked like a certain winner at the Lausitzring until a few minutes before the end. However, Eriksson took his chance following a late safety car phase and immediately overtook the Australian on the approach to Turn 1 after the re-start. The Motopark youngster then defended his lead to the finish line. A second period where the race was neutralised three laps before the end of the race prevented Mawson from launching a counterattack. The eleventh race o the season ended behind the safety car after 19 laps.
Shwartzman added seamlessly to his impressive run of successes behind the title favourites. The young Russian finished on the podium in his fifth consecutive race. Shwartzman moved up three positions on the first lap after starting from eighth place on the grid. He won through in a scrap against Janneau Esmeijer (18, NED, HTP Juniorteam) on the twelfth lap by pulling off a spectacular overtaking manoeuvre. The Dutch teenager had to settle for fourth place in the end.
Local favourite Ortmann once again best rookie
Mike Ortmann (15, GER, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) gave his Berlin-based team further cause for cheer. The local youngster from nearby Ahrensfelde crossed the finish line in fifth place and was, for the second successive occasion, the most successful of all the rookies in the starting line-up. The 15-year-old finished the first race in fourth position to celebrate his best result in the ADAC junior formula series. In the Rookie Championship, Ortmann is now second behind Jonathan Cecotto (15, VEN, Motopark) who is the son of former Formula 1 and DTM driver Johnny Cecotto.
Marvin Dienst (18, GER, HTP Juniorteam) had an eventful race. Having booked pole position, the HTP Juniorteam driver had every right to be contemplating a second podium at the Lausitzring. But as the lights went out, Dienst remained stationary and dropped back to 13th place. As the race progressed, the third-placed championship contender fought his way back up the field to finish sixth.
25 positions gained: Storming charge of the season
Michael Waldherr (18, GER, Motopark) took the chequered the flag behind seventh-placed Tim Zimmermann (18, GER, Neuhauser Racing). After starting from the penultimate slot on the grid, the Motopark junior staged the comeback of the season, gaining no fewer than 25 places during the race to finish eighth. No contestant has ever made such a spectacular charge up the field in the short history of ADAC Formula 4.
Race 3 : Marvin Dienst wins thriller – Joel Eriksson is ‘half-time champion’
The fourth ADAC Formula 4 race weekend at the Lausitzring had a nail-biting conclusion. Marvin Dienst (18, GER, HTP Juniorteam) secured the victory on the last lap of a race which had the lot in terms of thrills and spills. Joey Mawson (19, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing) looked for a long time to have the race sewn up but ultimately had to settle for the runner-up spot. Robert Shwartzman (15, RUS, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) continued his impressive run with a sixth successive podium. A ninth-place finish for Joel Eriksson (17, SWE, Motopark) was enough to confirm him as ‘halftime champion’ at this midway point in the season.
« I had expected more from this weekend after securing two pole positions, so this victory is a nice way to round it off, » said Dienst after notching up his third win of the season in the ADAC High Speed Academy.
Thrills galore on the final lap
The HTP Juniorteam youngster moved up into third place behind race leader Mawson and pursuer Shwartzman on the fourth-to-last lap. After a safety car period, the last of the three races at the Lausitzring was opened up for the 20th and final round. As Shwartzman and Mawson battled for the lead on the first corner, the Van Amersfoort Racing driver had to briefly veer off onto the grass. Dienst used the opportunity to take the lead. Mawson managed to defend second place ahead of the pursuing Shwartzman through to the finish line.
Had Mawson taken the victory, he would also have come away with the first halftime championship in the history of ADAC Formula 4. Instead, it was claimed by Eriksson, winner of the weekend’s second race. The Motopark driver started from last place but then improved by a total of 25 positions. Ninth place was enough for him to maintain his overall lead on 163 points. Having won Race 1 on Saturday, Mawson takes second place on 159 points ahead of Dienst who has so far scored 129 points.
Local favourite Ortmann takes lead in rookie championship
In an eventful race, Tim Zimmermann (18, GER, Neuhauser Racing) managed to steer clear of all incidents. From twelfth on the grid, he finished in fourth place – his best result yet on the fourth race weekend of the season. Crossing the line behind the Neuhauser Racing driver was Mike Ortmann (15, GER, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) in fifth place. The local favourite was thus the best-placed rookie for the third successive race. With a P4 and two P5s in his home race, the 15-year-old has taken over the lead in the rookie standings for the first time.
Behind sixth-placed Jannes Fittje (15, GER, Motopark), team-mate Michael Waldherr (18 GER, Motopark) once again staged an overtaking spectacular. After improving by 25 places on the previous day in the second race, he gained 23 positions in the Sunday race and once again finished in the points. Marek Böckmann (18, GER, Jenzer Motorsport), halftime champion Eriksson and Harrison Newey (16, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing), the son of top Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey, completed the Top Ten.
The fifth race weekend of the debut ADAC Formula 4 season will be contested at the Nürburgring (14th – 16th August 2015). The famous track in the Eifel mountains hosts Races 13 to 15 after the summer break.
Press release ADAC Formel 4
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