The etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben will stage the races of the ADAC High-Speed Academy for the second time this year during the weekend of September 11th-13th. ADAC Formula 4 made history when the first three races were held in Oschersleben at the end of April, and now, the junior formula racing drivers will line up again at Oschersleben for the penultimate fixture of the year.
ADAC Formula 4 will race there for the first time under the DTM banner - a setting with which Jonathan Cecotto (16, VEN, Motopark) is very familiar. The son of former DTM and Formula 1 driver Johnny Cecotto is contesting his first season in formula racing. His father, Johnny, drove in the DTM from 1988 to 1992 and again in 2002. He was championship runner-up in 1990. "This race weekend will be a real high-point of the season for me in view of my father's career in the DTM," said Jonathan Cecotto. "We've often been invited as guests to DTM races in recent years, and now, I'm looking forward to fighting for points at the wheel of a racing car in front of my mates and buddies."
Home fixture for Motopark
The 16-year-old lines up for Team Motopark, and this will be a home fixture for the team from Oschersleben, as team headquarters are just a stone's throw away from the 3.696 kilometre track. While Cecotto is battling a number of drivers, including Mick Schumacher (16, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing), for the title of best rookie, his team-mate Joel Eriksson reckons (17, SWE, Motopark) he has a good chance of lifting the championship.
The Motopark youngster is ranked second overall in the standings and has a score to settle at the Oschersleben circuit after missing the podium in the season opener. Eriksson subsequently secured the unofficial title of 'half-time' champion with a series of five wins. "If the car is fast and the balance is right, we should be up there competing for the lead," said Eriksson in the run-up to the three races. "The team are doing an excellent job this season, and I'm optimistic that things will go much better this time than they did at the season opener."
Dienst: Returning to scene of first success
Unlike the Swedish driver, Marvin Dienst (18, DEU, HTP Junior Team) made a fine start to the opener in Oschersleben. With victories in the first two races - Mick Schumacher won the third - the HTP Junior Team driver laid the foundations for his current position at the head of the overall standings. Dienst recently extended his championship lead by taking five wins from the last seven races. "I've got mixed feelings in the run-up to Oschersleben," said Dienst. "On the one hand, it's where I won two races, and yet at the same time, that puts a bit of pressure on me. Everyone knows I was quick there and expects a repeat performance."
Dienst has a 34-point lead on Eriksson in the overall standings after 18 of 24 races this season. Dienst: "The field is highly competitive at the moment, which makes it hard to say where we currently stand. The car is good, and I enjoy the track. Maybe I can achieve another double victory."
Joey Mawson (19, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing) is the third contender for the title. Mawson, the team-mate of Schumacher, Harrison Newey (17, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing) and Kami Laliberté (15, CAN, Van Amersfoort Racing), is ranked third overall. The Australian has a 37-point deficit on Dienst. Mawson: "There are six races left, and I aim to continue the fight for the championship. Our next chance is in Oschersleben. We had very good pace as a team in the season opener. Mick and I secured a double win. Hopefully, we can now achieve more victories."
Timo Scheider in dual role
An exciting weekend is in prospect for Timo Scheider. The two-time DTM champion will have to dash from pit wall to cockpit at Oschersleben. Scheider must both take care of his own team in the ADAC Formula 4 and contest two races in the touring car series. Experienced driver Jason Kremer (20, DEU) and Mauro Auricchio (17, BRA) will be climbing into the 160 bhp Formula 4 racing cars fielded by Team Timo Scheider.
Same tyres - different conditions
For the first time in Oschersleben, ADAC Formula 4 is returning to a track on which teams have already had a chance to gain experience of racing on tyres from exclusive tyre partner Pirelli. "There should be a few important differences, though," explained Pirelli track-side engineer Anna Playford. "Potentially we experience difference climate to the first race where we saw the ambient reach 20 degrees centigrade, as we move in to autumn. Two of the most challenging parts of the track are right at the beginning of the lap, with turns one and two. There is heavy braking and a sharp turn-in for turn one, before the tyres remain continuously loaded for turn two."