VAR driver Oliver Bearman travels to the high-speed circuit as the championship leader. US Racing’s Tim Tramnitz is highly motivated after his success in Italy. Spectators are welcome at the ADAC Racing Weekend in Hockenheim.

The 2021 ADAC Formula 4 season is picking up speed. The third race weekend of the high-speed school forms part of the ADAC Racing Weekend in Hockenheim (17th to 19th September). The races at the former Grand Prix circuit near Heidelberg marks the start of an intensive autumn for the talented youngsters: between now and the finale at the Nürburgring at the start of November, they will contest 12 races in eight weeks. The Hockenheim races will be broadcast on Saturday and Sunday in a livestream at adac.de/motorsport and youtube.com/adac. Fans are welcome in the stands and the paddock at the racetrack. Tickets are available on the gate.

Iconic Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing arrives in Hockenheim as the leader in all three categories. Six races into the season, VAR driver Oliver Bearman (16, Great Britain) is the man to catch in the Drivers’ Championship. With four race wins to his name, the young Brit tops the overall standings with 112 points and a commanding lead of 40 points. Bearman has very special memories of the Hockenheimring, where he claimed his maiden victory in ADAC Formula 4 in 2020. “I obviously have fond memories of this circuit. This is where I took the first single-seater win of my career,” says Bearman, who is looking forward to returning. “Driving here is great fun, particularly in the third sector, which is quite complicated.”

Bearman knows he can rely on a strong team this weekend. “We have had great pace in the recent races. My former team-mate Dennis Hauger won here three times in 2019, which is pretty difficult in this championship,” says Bearman: “We know that we have a fantastic car. I am expecting some exciting races, particularly with the reverse grid in race three.”

Behind Bearman, who used the break in the season for a combination of holiday, training, race preparation, and a bit of racing in Italy and Great Britain, the rest of the field is very evenly-matched. Leading the chasing pack is Sebastian Montoya (16, Columbia) from the Italian Prema Powerteam with 72 points. Hot on the heels of the son of former Formula 1 driver and Indy 500 champion Juan Pablo Montoya are his team-mate Kirill Smal (16, Russia, Prema Powerteam, 70 points), Tim Tramnitz (16, Hamburg, US Racing, 69) and his US Racing team-mate Luke Browning (19, Great Britain, 67).

ADAC Stiftung Sport driver Tim Tramnitz (16) from the US Racing team has his sights set particularly high for the races at the Hockenheimring. The young man from Hamburg returned from last weekend’s outing in the Italian F4 championship with two race wins, a second place, and a good portion of motivation.

Like Bearman, Tramnitz too has fond memories of the Hockenheimring: one year ago, he finished runner-up to take his place on the podium here in race two. In the battle for first place, he los tout to just one driver – a certain Oliver Bearman, who claimed his maiden victory in the German series.

With the potential of a repeat of that duel this weekend, Tramnitz is hoping for a similarly good performance, if not his first win of the season. “My goal for Hockenheim is obviously to win, particularly after my recent successes in Italy,” said the top rookie from 2020, confidently. “I recently beat Olli Bearman in Italy and hope I can do the same in Hockenheim.” Tramnitz’s first victory in ADAC Formula 4 came in the final race of the 2020 season in Oschersleben.

Alex Dunne is making his ADAC Formula 4 at the Hockenheimring. The 15-year-old Irishman will then contest the rest of the season for the Kerpen-based US Racing team. “Alex is a very focussed and talented racing driver. I liked his attitude and approach in the very first test, and his speed was also very good,” said team principal Gerhard Ungar, who believes the young Irish driver “has the potential to taste success in Hockenheim already”.

The two free practice sessions on Friday (09:00 and 11:35) will give the first indication of the balance of power. Then comes qualifying at 15:40, in which the grid positions will be determined for race one on Saturday (12:45) and race two on Sunday (11:50). In the third and final race of the weekend (Sunday, 15:50), the top eight from race two start in reverse order.

The ADAC Racing Weekend at the Hockenheimring features a total of seven series and 16 races. Spectators are welcome on Saturday and Sunday. Day tickets cost € 15, weekend tickets for Saturday and Sunday are available for € 25. Both tickets include access to the paddock. 3G regulations apply, meaning visitors must either have been vaccinated, have recovered from coronavirus, or have been tested on that day.

Broadcasting times for ADAC Formula 4 at the Hockenheimring

Saturday 18th September 12:45 – Race 1 live adac.de/motorsport und youtube.com/adac

Sunday 19th September 11:50 – Race 2 live adac.de/motorsport und youtube.com/adac 15:50 – Race 3 live adac.de/motorsport und youtube.com/adac