2016 ADAC German Formula 4 – Ochsersleben, Qualifying, Mawson Dominates

Joey Mawson secures first pole of campaign

The first ADAC Formula 4 pole of the year has gone to Joey Mawson. The young Australian, who drives for the Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing, set the fastest time in qualifying for the first race of the junior formula series in the season opener at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben to claim pole position on Saturday’s grid (14:40, live on SPORT1). His lap of 01:26:230 minutes was easily the quickest in Group A, three tenths of a second ahead of closest pursuer Kim Luis Schramm (01:26:543) who drives for the Kerpen-based US Racing team. Schramm’s time was the fastest in Qualifying Group B. Third best in the session was Jannes Fittje, Schramm’s US Racing team-mate, on 1:26.816 minutes. The outfit run by team principals Ralf Schumacher and Gerhard Ungar has thus managed to get two of its squad into the Top Three.

Lining up behind ADAC Stiftung Sport protégé Fittje will be Juri Vips from Estonia (01:26.984). Mick Schumacher, who like Vips drives for the Italian Prema Powerteam, posted a time of 1:26.908 minutes on his hot lap and from fifth place on the grid has a realistic chance of a podium. Taking the remaining spot on the third row is Dutch youngster Job van Uitert (Jenzer Motorsport, 1:127.27).ADAC Stiftung Sport protégés Mike David Ortmann (ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) and Sophia Flörsch (Motopark) also have cause to feel satisfied with their first quali of the season. Ortmann’s fifth place in Group A (1:26.981) puts him ninth on the grid, while Flörsch (01:27.466), who was sixth fastest in Group B, starts from grid position twelve. The fastest eleven in both groups qualify automatically for the weekend’s races. Those outside the Top 22 must now compete against each other in a further qualifying heat on Saturday morning (08:55) for the remaining grid positions.The grid positions for the second race on Sunday (10:10, live on SPORT1+) are determined by the second-best lap times in the session. Joey Mawson was once again out in front. His second-best time of 1:26.500 was another strong one. He was followed home by Kim Luis Schramm (1:26.700) and Mike David Ortmann (1:27.032). Jannes Fittje (1:27.034) will be in fifth place on the grid in front of Sophia Flörsch (1:27.481) in the second race.

The grid for the third race on Sunday will be decided by the results from Race 1. The Top Ten will start in reverse order.

Pole-sitter Mawson was ecstatic about his successful start, giving his mechanics a group hug, his face wreathed in smiles: “That’s the best start you could ever have, and my aim is now to win the race. What an amazing start to the weekend! I was still a bit uncertain before qualifying. I would like to see dry conditions for the race. I honestly hadn’t expected my lead to be so big.”

Ralf Schumacher heaped praise on Schramm and Fittje, who had made a big impression on him: “I’m very pleased with those two. In the junior classes, it’s always difficult to say whether you then have a good chance in the race itself. One of them could lock up on braking at any time. Nothing is ever certain, as they always say. At any rate, we’re definitely in with a good chance of securing a decent finish, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Kim Luis Schramm (US Racing, second on the grid): “I think that we can be pleased. We’ll see how it all pans out in tomorrow’s race, but the chances are good. When you’re this close to winning, you just want to win actually.”Jannes Fittje (US Racing, grid position 3): “We are where we wanted to be, which means that we are well placed for the race. We’re on the two front rows, so we can even challenge for the win if all goes well.”

Ochsersleben, Qualifying, Group

1^st, No. 96, Joey Mawson, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, 1:26.230

2^nd, No. 2, Jannes Fittje, GER, US Racing, 1:26.816

3^rd, No. 29, Mick Schumacher, GER, Prema Powerteam, 1:26.908

4^th, No. 68, Juan Manuel Correa, ITA, Prema Powerteam, 1:26.944

5^th, No. 6, Mike Ortmann, GER, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V., 1:26.981

6^th, No. 35, Kami Laliberté, CAN, Van Amersfoort Racing, 1:27.286

7^th, No. 81, Nicklas Nielsen, DEN, Neuhauser Racing, 1:27.334

8^th, No. 14, Thomas Preining, AUT, Lechner Racing, 1:27.518

9^th, No. 20, Kevin Kratz, GER, Jenzer Motorsport, 1:27.683

10^th, No. 40, Leonard Hoogenboom, NED, RS Competition, 1:27.701

11^th, No. 13, Yannick Brandt, GER, Lechner Racing, 1:27.882

12^th, No. 19, Fabio Scherer, SUI, Jenzer Motorsport, 1:27.937

13^th, No. 23, Julian Hanses, Team Timo Scheider, 1:28.015

14^th, No. 46, Mauro Auricchio, ITA, Team Timo Scheider, 1:28.238

15^th, No. 27, Louis Gachot, GBR, US Racing, 1:28.264

16^th, No. 10, Andreas Estner, GER, RS Competition, 1:28.390

17^th, No. 55, Marylin Niederhauser, Rennsport Rössler, 1:29.560

Not Classified

No. 21, Michelle Halder , GER, Liqui Moly Team Engstler

No. 3, Carrie Schreiner, GER, US Racing,

Ochsersleben, Qualifying, Group B

1^st, No. 28, Kim Luis Schramm, GER, US Racing, 1:26.543

2^nd, No. 44, Juri Vips, EST, Prema Powerteam, 1:26.984

3^rd, No. 77, Job van Uitert, NED, Jenzer Motorsport, 1:27.127

4^th, No. 25, Moritz Müller-Crepon, SUI, Van Amersfoort Racing, 1:27.133

5^th, No. 15, Michael Waldherr, GER, Lechner Racing. 1:27.134

6^th, No. 99, Sophia Flörsch, GER, Motopark, 1:27.466

7^th, No. 66, Simo Laaksonen, FIN, Motopark, 1:27.533

8^th, No. 80, Felipe Drugovich, AUT, Neuhauser Racing, 1:27.540

9^th, No. 90, Cedric Piro, GER, Team Piro Sport Interdental, 1:27.565

10^th, No. 5, Lirim Zendeli, GER, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V., 1:27.605

11^th, No. 45, Toni Wolf, GER, KUG-Motorsport, 1:27.633

12^th, No. 33, Jonathan Aberdein, RSA, Motopark, 1:27.716

13^th, No. 8, Luca Engstler, GER, Liqui Moly Team Engstler, 1:27.760

14^th, No. 7, Oliver Söderström, SWE, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V, 1:27.808

15^th, No. 30, Kenneth Gulbrandsen, NOR, Team Timo Scheider, 1:27.916

16^th, No. 18, Jan-Erik Meikup, EST, Jenzer Motorsport, 1:28.051

17^th, No. 24, Robin Brezina, GER, Robin Brezina, 1:28.258

18^th, No. 9, Ricardo Feller, CZE, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V, 1:28.643

Smtfhw's Travels