Race Report

FIA ADAC FORMULA 4
GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Rounds 04/05/06

Circuit: Sachsenring (D), Length 3.645 km, 29^th/30^th/01^st May 2016
www.sachsenring-circuit.com

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2016:
Jan-Erik Meikup (EST), Fabio Scherer (CH), Kevin Kratz (D), Job van Uitert (NL)

Great Performance from Kratz at the Sachsenring

The second of eight race events featuring the FIA ADAC Formula 4 German Championship took place on the demanding track at the Sachsenring (D). 36 drivers were expected to take the start so there were plenty of expectations as ever. The races can be followed live on Sport1 tv and on the official website under Live Streaming.

Qualifying

Friday, 29/04/2016, 17.15 – 18.00, Weather: Cloudy, 13°C

This year the series regulations allow for the splitting of the enormous field into two groups, with each group having a 20-minute qualifying session. The 11 fastest drivers from each group claim the first 11 rows of the grid between them while the remaining drivers have to survive a qualification race for the last available places on the grid for the official races, based on the licensed capacity of each circuit.
The fastest lap time for each driver sets the grid for Race One and the second fastest lap time is used to set the starting positions for Race Two. The grid for Race Three is determined by the results of Race One, with the first ten finishers starting in reverse order.
Qualifying took place after two short free practice sessions in freezing temperatures in the morning, which enabled drivers to prepare for the upcoming race.

FIA ADAC Formula 4 German Championship

Qualifying Race (20 minutes)

Saturday, 30/04/2016, 10.45, Weather: Cloudy, 11°C

Fabio started from 2^nd on the grid for the qualifying race. He attacked Waldherr into the first corner and they touched, and while Fabio was able to drive on, there was something obviously wrong with his car. In fact he had a flat tyre. Just then an accident happened, and the Safety Car was deployed, so Fabio nipped into the pitlane for a new left front tyre. Because the Safety Car was still out, Fabio was able to catch up with the field quite quickly and despite a slightly hairy situation when two drivers spun off right in front of him, Fabio was able to begin a recovery drive. It didn’t take him long to find his rhythm and he was able to work his way up to 7^th by the end. This meant he would start Race 1 in 29^th place on the grid.

FIA ADAC Formula 4 German Championship

Race One (30 minutes)

Saturday, 30/04/2016, 16.45, Weather: Cloudy, 19°C

Our drivers were started race 1 from the following grid positions: 15^th Kevin, 21^st Jan-Erik, 23^rd Job and 29^th Fabio.
Race one took place towards the end of the afternoon and almost inevitably there was an accident just after the start, with the Safety Car deployed for three laps. Kevin was now up to 11^th, with Jan-Erik 15^th, Job 18^th and Fabio already 23^rd. After the restart the race ran smoothly, with no interruptions for the most part. Nevertheless it wasn’t easy to gain places and make up positions on this sinuous track. Therefore there weren’t many overtaking manoeuvres during the race. Shortly before the end a second Safety Car phase was necessary, and after that there was only a short sprint to the finishing line left, during which the order didn’t change.
During the race Kevin and Hamprecht traded places a few times, Kevin securing a very good 11^th place by the end. Jan-Erik was surprised by Flörsch after the restart, but then defended his position well and crossed the finish line in a respectable 15^th. Job and Fabio fought it out through the race, but neither was able to improve their positions and they crossed the line in line with Job in 20^th and Fabio in 21^st.

FIA ADAC Formula 4 German Championship

Race Two (30 minutes)

Sunday, 01/05/2016, 11.20, Weather: Cloudy, 14°C

The sun came out again on Sunday, though it stayed cold and windy, Job started from 18^th, Kevin from 19^th, Fabio from 26^th and Jan-Erik from 30^th. Again there was an accident and a Safety Car shortly after the start. Job had already moved up to 15th place, but then Hamprecht hit him at the restart and Job was catapulted into the gravel, where he ended up stuck, putting an end to his race. This was a pity as he’d made such a good start. His attacker being awarded a post-race time penalty didn’t really help either. The Safety Car was deployed for the second time. Kevin was now 13^th, Fabio 19^th and Jan-Erik 21^st. They held their positions at the restart but many other drivers drove quite aggressively, and it was just a matter of time before another one went off. The Safety Car was deployed a third time and at the restart Engstler tangled with Kevin, costing Kevin a handful of places although he was able to continue. A fourth Safety Car period for yet another accident saw Kevin move up to 13^th place at the restart, a position he held onto all the way to the finish line. Fabio had gained place after place to take the the chequered flag in 15^th meanwhile, and Jan-Erik also drove well running right behind Fabio for some time. In the end he finished the race in 17^th. With these many interruptions it had been very difficult to find a rhythm and to actually race.

FIA ADAC Formula 4 German Championship

Race Three (30 minutes)

Sunday, 01/05/2016, 15.40, Weather: Cloudy, 12°C

Kevin started in a promising 11^th, Jan-Erik in 16^th, Job in 20^th and Fabio 21^st. Unfortunately Kevin failed to get off the line and couldn’t capitalise on his grid place, while Fabio got involved in an accident that necessitated yet another Safety Car deployment. At the restart Jan-Erik was 16^th, Job 20^th and Kevin was back in 29^th. At the restart Job gained several places before another incident cost him a damaged front wing and he had to pit for repairs. Meanwhile, Jan-Erik was hit with a drive through penalty for jumping the start and came in straight away. Another accident saw the Safety Car back on track and then Job got a drive through for ignoring the red lights at the end of the pitlane. He had to come straight back in as a result. Out on track Kevin had recovered to 17^th and was making good progress towards regaining a lot of ground, while Fabio was in 26^th, Jan-Erik in 29^th and Job 33^rd. Yet another accident meant yet another Safety Car period. Afterwards Kevin improved further to 14^th, just as Jan-Erik clashed with Schreiner, and they both ended up off track. That caused Safety Car deployment number 4. With just a few minutes left the Safety Car stayed out to the flag, a restart deemed unwise perhaps. That meant Kevin ended the race in 14^th, Fabio in 22^nd, Job in 29^th and Jan-Erik in 30^th.

The next race meeting in the ADAC Formula 4 series takes place in 5 weeks’ time, on the week end of 5^th June 2016 at the Lausitzring (D). This meeting will form part of the program of the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft).

Championship Standings

FIA ADAC Formula 4 German 2016 after 6 races out of 24:
1^st Joey Mawson (AUS), 126 points; 2^nd Mick Schumacher, 91 points; 3^rd Mike Ortmann (D), 71 points; 4^th Kim Luis Schramm (D), 69 points; 5^th Jannes Fittje (D), 53 points; 6^th Nicklas Nielsen (DK), 38 points

2016 FIA ADAC FORMEL 4 GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIP - AGENDA

More info:

• www.adac-motorsport.de/adac-formel-4/de/