Interest in ADAC Formula 4 has exceeded all expectations. Everything is now set for an exciting 2015 debut season for the new junior ADAC open-wheel series. A number of newcomers along with well-known teams from the previous series, Formel ADAC, will constitute a competitive international field of no fewer than 42 entries. The inaugural season of the ADAC Formula 4 gets under way on the weekend of 24th - 26th April, 2015, in the etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. SPORT 1 and SPORT1+ will broadcast live pictures from races staged by the ADAC 'high-speed academy'. An overview of the ADAC Formula 4 teams. Part 2.
Mücke Motorsport
The Berlin-based team won the Formel ADAC team championship in 2013. Since its inception in 1998, Mücke Motorsport have trained six drivers who have made the move up into F1 - Sebastian Vettel, Sergio Perez, Robert Kubica, Sébastien Buemi, Markus Winkelhock and Christian Klien. Five drivers from the Mücke 'talent factory' - Marco Wittmann, Bruno Spengler, Christian Vietoris, Pascal Wehrlein and Maximilian Götz - currently compete in the DTM, where Mücke Motorsport have raced as an independent team since 2005. Team boss Peter Mücke said: "With the introduction of Formula 4, the FIA, motorsport's world governing body, has taken an important step, showing young drivers a direct route into professional racing via Formula 3 up into the top echelons of the sport, Formula 1.We are very much in favour of that, because our team has always been interested in not just fielding drivers in a particular series but in training them from the outset and by so doing, steadily preparing them for better things. ADAC Formula 4 constitutes an important link between karting and single seater racing."
Neuhauser Racing
In 2014, Austrian outfit Neuhauser Racing entered the record books as the last team and drivers' championship winners in the history of the Formel ADAC, the predecessor to ADAC Formula 4. Prior to that, the Formel ADAC founding member team had finished runners-up three times in the junior single seater series. "We decided to compete in the new ADAC Formula 4 after our success in Formel ADAC," said team boss Hannes Neuhauser. "We want to build on our past achievements and give more young talents the opportunity to learn the skills needed in open-wheel racing, as we've done so successfully for many years."
Piro Sports
Piro Sports have been represented on race tracks in Germany and Europe since 1998, becoming well established in various one-make cups. Cutting their teeth in the Ford Puma Cup, the Saarland-based team has also fielded racing cars in the Alfa 147 Cup and in the Mini Challenge. Led by team boss Erwin Piro, the team also made its first appearance in Formula Renault last year. "ADAC Formula 4 gives a good grounding for higher things in motor racing," said Piro, who can look back on a successful career as a racing driver in Formula Super V.
Prema Powerteam
Prema Powerteam is one of the most prestigious racing teams in Europe. Since it was founded in 1983, the Italian team has won numerous championships in Formula 3 and Formula Renault. In 2014, Lotus Junior Esteban Ocon driving a Prema Powerteam car won the FIA Formula 3 Championship. Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Kubica, Kamui Kobayashi, Daniel Juncadella and Roberto Merhi are just a few of the former Prema Powerteam drivers who have made the step up to Formula 1 or DTM. This successful team already has some experience in racing Formula 4 cars. Prema Powerteam won the driver and team titles in last year's Italian F.4 championship. "We have always observed with great attention young talents coming from karting," said team principal Angelo Rosin. "When the FIA presented the Formula 4 project, Prema immediately took on the opportunity to take part in the category which offers the perfect platform to all drivers stepping up from karting to make their debut in single seaters. After the 2014 experience in the Italian series, Prema accepts the added challenge of extending its participation to the ADAC Formula 4 series, an added value which will allow our young drivers to complete their experience with their presence in a high level series."
Provily Racing
Provily Racing is one of the younger teams to have joined the ADAC Formula 4 line-up. Team principal Gerben Provily had previously acquired many years' experience as an engineer in various racing series. He was looking for a new challenge with the establishment of his own team in 2008. In the same year, the Dutchman entered Provily Racing in the Formula Ford series. The team's most recent campaign was in Formula Renault. "Our decision to contest the ADAC Formula 4 championship in 2015 was taken at rather short notice," said Gerben Provily. "We're now looking forward to the new challenge in this high-calibre environment. We regard our first season in the ADAC Formula 4 as a learning year. We are aiming to take things step by step and do the best we can."