Newcomer Alex Dunne was unbeatable in the first free practice session in ADAC Formula 4 at the Hockenheimring. The US Racing driver finished ahead of championship leader Oliver Bearman.

The third race weekend of the 2021 ADAC Formula 4 season is up and running: the first free practice session in the ADAC’s high-speed school took place on Friday morning at the Hockenheimring – and it was a newcomer who stole the headlines and topped the timings. Ireland’s Alex Dunne is making his debut at the 4.574-kilometre circuit near Heidelberg and promptly set the fastest lap time of 1:41.090 minutes.

“It is obviously very nice to start a new series with a fastest lap. However, the first practice session is only the start. We want to improve consistently between now and qualifying,” said Dunne. “On the whole, my lap was okay. We also tried a few things out with the set-up. As such, it was not perfect. Generally speaking, my goal is always to win. However, as this is my first weekend in ADAC Formula 4, I would be happy with a top-three or top-five result.”

Second fastest in FP1 in Hockenheim, 0.290 seconds back, was Oliver Bearman of Van Amersfoort Racing. Bearman was followed in third place by Tim Tramnitz (US Racing). The ADAC Stiftung Sport driver was 0.301 seconds slower than his US Racing team-mate Dunne.

Fourth place for Vlad Lomko completed an impressive start in Hockenheim for US Racing. The Russian was 0.417 seconds off the fastest time. Rounding out the top five was Joshua Dufek in another Van Amersfoort Racing car.

The ADAC Formula 4 action comes thick and fast at the Hockenheimring. Next up on Friday are FP2 and qualifying.