Hockenheim: At the Hockenheimring, Mike David Ortmann (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) secured pole position in the first race of the ADAC Formula 4 season finale. The 16-year-old ADAC Sports Foundation protege posted best time of 1:40.529 on his final lap in his qualifying group and was 0.127 seconds faster than championship leader Joey Mawson (20, Australia, Van Amersfoort Racing). The Australian championship contender secured the fastest time for Race 2. Mick Schumacher (17, Germany Prema Powerteam) was disqualified following a technical inspection of cars but still has a chance to secure a place on the grid in the three races at Hockenheim in the qualifying heat on Saturday.

"I'm very pleased. What a great start to the weekend! I feel pretty relaxed to be quite honest. The pressure on me has gone to a large extent thanks to a good quali. I'm now going to enjoy the race, but we all know that Mick is very fast. It's going to be a long 30 minutes," said Joey Mawson, who is getting family support from down under for the season finale: "My mum has come to spectate at the final race weekend and has watched qualifying from the stands. I've only seen her briefly, but she was very happy for me."

In the first race, Kim-Luis Schramm (19, Germany, US Racing), the two rookies Juri Vips (16, Estonia, Prema Powerteam) and Lirim Zendeli (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) and Thomas Preining (18, Austria, Lechner Racing) will line up behind the leading pair of drivers, Ortmann & Mawson, followed by Leonard Hoogenboom (16, Netherlands, Van Amersfoort Racing), Kami Laliberte (17 Canada, Van Amersfoort Racing) and ADAC Sports Foundation protege Jannes Fittje (17, Germany, US Racing).

"Our straight-line speed was good. We can be very pleased with pole position. The car was great. It was thrilling until the last lap, for sure!" said Ortmann, who could still finish runner-up. "Of course, I'm trying to make a bid for second place, while ever it's still possible. I'll go all-out, if I'm still in with a chance, but ultimately, I just want a nice end to the season for all my friends and sponsors, and of course, for myself, that's the goal."

Mawson, the overall leader in the standings, was fastest in qualifying Group A and posted consistent lap times as usual. He had the edge as far as second-best time was concerned, thus securing pole position in the second race on Saturday afternoon at 3:35 pm. He will will line up on the grid in front of Schramm, Vips, Preining, Ortmann, Hoogenboom, Zendeli, Fittje and Laliberte in this penultimate round of the season.

Eight drivers were disqualified following inspection of cars after qualifying. The qualifying times of the drivers concerned were deleted, but they can still secure a place on the grid for the last three races of the season in the qualifying round on Saturday morning at 9:05 am.

Apart from Mick Schumacher, the other drivers concerned are: Nicklas Nielsen (19, Denmark, Neuhauser Racing), Jordan Love (17, Australia, SMC Schwärzler Motorsport), Carrie Schreiner (18, Germany, US Racing), Michael Waldherr (20, Germany, Motopark), Robin Brezina (17, Germany, Rennsport Rössler) and Ricardo Feller (16, Switzerland, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg). The fire extinguisher systems on their vehicles were found to have been inoperative during qualifying, and the accident data recorder on the vehicle driven by Juan Manuel Correa (17, USA, Ecuador, Prema Powerteam) was not plugged in.

The 24th and final race of the season is scheduled to take place on Sunday at 3 pm. The starting order for this race will be decided by the result of the first race, and the Top Ten will line up in reverse order. SPORT1, Germany's biggest sports channel, will broadcast the season finale live from the Hockenheimring. However, before the deciding race is held, a qualifying round will be staged on Saturday morning at 9:05 am to determine grid positions 23 to 37. Some 38 drivers will compete in the season finale.

How qualifying for ADAC Formula 4 works

Due to the large number of entrants, qualifying takes place in two groups (A and B). Drivers are assigned to A and B at random. The fastest eleven from both groups automatically qualify for the three races. All the other entrants then compete in an extra heat for the remaining grid positions in Race 1.