US Racing are eager for the 2016 ADAC Formula 4 season to commence. At a presentation on 17th March, the quartet of youngsters mentored and managed by team bosses Gerhard Ungar and ex-Formula 1 / DTM driver Ralf Schumacher crossed a major threshold in their preparation for ADAC Formula 4 as it enters its second season.

Ungar´s HTP F4 Juniorteam (winners of last year´s team championship) have now reeled in Ralf Schumacher to form US Racing. The new outfit has made its objectives clear. "When you have won the previous year´s title, as Gerhard did in 2015 with his team, the pressure and the expectations are obviously high for you to repeat the feat," says Schumacher. He thinks the team is in good shape for the forthcoming campaign: "The foundations have been laid. In Kim-Luis Schramm and Jannes Fittje, we have two drivers with prior experience; they are joined by Carrie Schreiner and Louis Gachot, two young drivers who we see as having great potential. We want to be up at the top of the leader board right from the outset, because once you´ve scored these early points, no-one can take them away from you."

The design of the Formula 4 car, which was unveiled in the presence of ADAC Sports President Hermann Tomczyk, ADAC Head of Motorsport Lars Soutschka and former Schumacher manager Willi Weber, thrilled everyone in attendance - especially the drivers. "When you see this car, you immediately want to climb into the cockpit and start driving," said an enthusiastic Kim-Luis Schramm at the presentation. The youngster from Thuringia, who contested his debut season in ADAC Formula 4 as a member of the Austrian Neuhauser Racing team and finished third in the 2015 Sachsenring fixture, is "keen to repeat the good results of the previous year with US Racing".

"All out attack in 2016!": This was how Jannes Fittje summed up his ambitions at the presentation. The ADAC Sports Foundation protégé who spent his Formula 4 rookie year in 2015 as a member of the Motopark squad has also set his sights high for the new season. "To shift a vehicle this size is by no means easy, and it´s not something that can be learnt overnight. I had mixed fortunes in my first year of Formula 4, but I learned a lot along the way."

ADAC Sports President Hermann Tomczyk made the following observations during the presentation: "ADAC is in the fortunate position of really being able to do something for the cause. Our junior series represents a great entry route and platform. Michael Schumacher was of course a massive inspiration at the time. He attracted big numbers to karting. Ultimately, it´s all about giving youngsters the opportunity to get involved in sport, which ever one they might choose. Motor racing is obviously more expensive, because it requires technical equipment. We at the ADAC seek to ensure that our platform is affordable. And if someone displays the necessary talent for Formula 4, that´s when sponsorship from the Sports Foundation can be made available. After Michael Schumacher, I can´t recall anybody who didn´t either drive in an ADAC series or receive support from the organisation. Whenever people like Ralf Schumacher get involved, the system comes full circle. It is incredibly important that we work together as motorsport community."

After the official presentation, the team bosses and drivers got straight back to work. The final pre-season preparations come at Oschersleben during Easter week.