Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start the opening ADAC Formula 4 race at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg from pole position. The Italian set the fastest time of 1:41.205 in Friday evening’s qualifying session, ahead of team-mate Rafael Camara (17/BRA).
“It feels good to start the weekend with pole position. Qualifying went well for me. I got my tyres up to the right temperature on my second attempt at a flying lap, which was crucial. I want to back this performance up in the race,” said 15-year-old Antonelli. This was already the third pole of the 2022 season for the Mercedes Junior.
In sunshine and temperatures around 23 degrees Celsius, qualifying soon developed into an internal battle between the two Prema Racing drivers. Camara ultimately had to settle for second place, 0.461 seconds behind Antonelli, who managed to improve his previous time by a further 0.3 seconds after a short break. Third place went to Taylor Barnard (GBR/PHM Racing). The 17-year-old was roughly 0.7 seconds slower than the pole-sitter.
Charlie Wurz (17/Prema Racing) starts the opening race at the 4.574-kilometre circuit from fourth place on the grid (+ 0.765 seconds). The Austrian is the son of former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz. Martinius Stenshorne (16/NOR/Van Amersfoort Racing) completes the top five (+ 0.947 seconds) and was the second-best rookie behind Camara. Brando Badoer (15/ITA/Van Amersfoort Racing) qualified eighth (+ 1.391 seconds) on his debut in the ADAC’s high-speed school, with his father Luca Badoer watching on.
The best German driver was Jonas Ried (17/Ehingen/PHM Racing) in tenth place (+ 1.476 seconds). Emerson Fittipaldi jr. (BRA/Van Amersfoort Racing) can count on special support this weekend: His father, two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, is at the former Formula 1 circuit to watch his 15-year-old son in action. Fittipaldi jr. was 12th in qualifying (+ 1.683 seconds).
The second ADAC Formula 4 qualifying session takes place at 09:05 on Saturday morning. The 30-minute race at the circuit near Heidelberg gets underway at 11:15. All the races involving the motorsport stars of tomorrow are streamed live and free of charge at sport.de and adac.de/motorsport.
