ADAC Formula 4 is about to embark on its second campaign. After the successful debut season last year, the junior formula series will have another strong line-up in 2016. No fewer than 16 teams are entering 46 drivers for the 24 races to be staged at eight different venues in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Three newcomers will be joining the line-up of established teams in what is already a high-calibre international starter field. The 2016 season opens at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben on the weekend of 15th - 17th April. TV channels SPORT1 and SPORT1+ will be showing the races from the ADAC High-Speed Academy live. Profiles of the ADAC Formula 4 teams: Part 2.
MOTOPARK
With 23 international championships and more than 200 race wins, Team Motopark is one of the most successful outfits in formula motor racing. Many racing drivers, including current and former Formula 1 drivers Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Max Verstappen, Sébastien Buemi and also Scott Speed and Bruno Senna have passed through Timo Rumpfkeil's talent factory. Youth training has been the outfit's main focus since its inception in 1998. In the inaugural season of the ADAC Formula 4, Motopark were in contention to win victory overall until just before the end of the season, notching up a total of seven wins with Joel Eriksson. "Once again this year, the ADAC Formula 4 will be one of the world's most important junior series and its significance has again been confirmed by a top-class field of drivers," said team boss Rumpfkeil, who ensures that his drivers get the best possible preparation for the season.
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. The inaugural season of the ADAC Formula 4 last year was a mixed bag for the outfit, but team principal Hannes Neuhauser remains true to his beliefs: "We intend to approach matters with plenty of ambition but also fun. I believe that we can give the front-runners in the field a good shake-up with our two rookies. It's really great that the Formula 4 season is finally about to start again," said Neuhauser. "ADAC Formula 4 is the best series of its kind anywhere in the world in my opinion and therefore constitutes a brilliant springboard for the future careers of young drivers."
PREMA POWERTEAM
Prema Powerteam is one of the most prestigious racing outfits 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 racing. Prema Powerteam won the drivers' and team titles in the Italian Formula 4 championship in 2014. The team achieved one victory in 2015, the premiere season of the ADAC Formula 4. "I'm expecting a high standard this season. The ADAC Formula 4 is an ideal platform for young drivers coming from karting. The whole championship takes place in a very professional environment, which plays a big role in a young driver's development," said team principal Angelo Rosin. "While we're used to competing at an international level, we now intend to prove our competitiveness beyond Italy's borders."
RENNSPORT RÖSSLER
For more than 40 years, Rennsport Rössler have successfully competed in many professional racing series and been involved in junior racing. Numerous successes in the German Formula 3 Cup, the Formula 3 Euro Series, in hill-climbing and in Formula Lista are testament to their huge experience, know-how and tremendous enthusiasm for motor racing. Rennsport Rössler secured the Austrian Formula 3 championship title in 2015 and will now line up for their first year in the ADAC Formula 4.
ROBIN BREZINA
After his debut season in 2015, Robin Brezina will line up again this year in the ADAC Formula 4 field on his own account. The 17-year-old from Dauchingen took the classic route from karting into single-seater racing and completed seven races in total last season. "We decided to join the ADAC Formula 4 at a relatively late stage in 2015, but I can truly say that it was absolutely the right decision," said Brezina. "Formula 4 has a large field of entrants who are all very strong, which is very important to me, because it's only through strong competition that I can improve and learn for the future."
RS COMPETITION
Danish team RS Competition provided a touch of international flair in the ADAC Formula 4. The team is managed by German-Danish team boss, Robert Schlünssen, who has been actively involved in junior sport for many years. Schlünssen enjoyed a career as a racing driver and has lined up previously in Formula Renault and in the Danish Touring Car championship. The team have been active in karting since 2006, winning championships in Germany, Denmark and Scandinavia during 2014. RS Competition can now offer young talents a further opportunity for advancement thanks to setting up their ADAC Formula 4 team in 2015. "Our focus is on the training of young drivers. The ADAC Formula 4 provides the ideal step for youngsters moving up from karting to motor racing," said Schlünssen, who will field two rookies in 2016. "We've improved a lot compared to 2015. Our goal is to secure top rankings in the rookie classification."
The second season of the ADAC Formula 4 will get under way on 15th April in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. The ADAC high-speed academy will contest its races on six race weekends as part of the ADAC GT Masters and at the joint ADAC GT Masters/DTM race meeting at the Lausitzring and within the context of the TCR International Series in Oschersleben. TV Partners SPORT1 will broadcast the races live on free-to-air TV as well as online and on mobile devices.
The ADAC Formula 4 will again rely on the services of tried and trusted partners during the 2016 season. Formula 4 racing cars powered by Abarth turbocharged engines and running chassis from Italian manufacturer, Tatuus, will be utilised. Italian premium tyre manufacturer Pirelli, who are well-known from Formula 1, and wheel manufacturer Motec will supply the ADAC Formula 4. Suspension springs manufacturer Eibach and DEKRA, one of the world's leading bodies of experts, are partners to the series. Auto Zeitung newspaper will continue in its role as official media partner.