There is a touch of the premier class in the ADAC Formula 4 paddock. As soon as you see the bright red colours of the Prema Powerteam, you immediately think of the great Scuderia Ferrari and Formula 1. Italian is spoken, and the Formula 4 cars are strongly redolent of the red racing cars from Maranello that we know from Formula 1 - and Prema have similar high ambitions to their big brother from the top echelons of the sport.

Many of today's or soon-to-be motor racing greats have already made their way through the Italian talent factory. Lance Stroll is one of them. The Canadian won last year's Formula 3 European championship, smoothing his path into Formula 1 at Williams. DTM championship runner-up Edoardo Mortara has also raced for Prema, as have Lucas Auer, Esteban Ocon, Felix Rosenqvist, Robert Kubica, Kamui Kobayashi, Jacques Villeneuve and Valtteri Bottas.

"We want to compete at the highest level and win," says Team Principal Angelo Rosin. "But that's not the most difficult task, the hardest part is staying at the top."

This pursuit of perfection is what makes Prema so successful and one of the most sought-after teams in the world of formula motor racing training for juniors since it was first set up in 1983. "One important aspect is the relationship that drivers have to each other. It's only when drivers work together that they can achieve their goals," says Rosin. "They have to support each other and learn from each other. Only one person can stand at the top, ultimately, but it only works when they pull together."

The team, which has been involved with the ADAC Formula 4 since its inception in 2015, have a winning formula. In 2016, Mick Schumacher became championship runner-up, enabling the Italians to secure the title in the team standings in the final race at Hockenheim. They have two drivers this year, the Estonian Juri Vips and newcomer Marcus Armstrong from New Zealand, who both have excellent chances of lifting the championship. Juan Manuel Correa also always manages to finish in the points but has so far lacked the consistency of Vips and Armstrong a little. Enzo Fittipaldi, the son of the two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi drives in the Italian Formula 4 for Prema.

"It's hard to compare our drivers," says Rosin. "But they definitely have one thing in common, they're all very strong characters, and they all have the potential to compete for the championship title and make their way successfully in motor racing."

And they can go a long way with Prema. The Italian team is active not only in the German and Italian Formula 4 but also in the Formula 3 European Championship and in Formula 2. Mick Schumacher has made the move up and now drives for Prema in Formula 3. With Maximilian Günther, the team have a contender for the F3 championship within their own ranks.

The 20-year-old has driven for Prema since 2015 after having twice finished as championship runner-up in the Formel ADAC, the predecessor to the ADAC Formula 4.

Prema have been involved with the ADAC Formula 4 ever since it was first launched, and the ADAC high-speed school has an important part to play in fulfilling the team's aims of enabling young and aspiring talents to enter the top classes of motor racing. "We have already contested many different junior series and have always sought to offer our drivers the best platform while doing so," says Rosin. "The ADAC Formula 4 is a perfect fit for us. The field of drivers is one of the strongest there is in any of the Formula 4 series and is very challenging."