Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start the first two ADAC Formula 4 races at Circuit Zandvoort from pole position. In unsettled conditions on the North Sea coast, the Italian finished ahead of his Prema team-mate, Rafael Camara from Brazil.
The temperature was around 19 degrees Celsius when qualifying began at the 4.259-kilometre circuit in the Netherlands. Two minutes into the session, light rain started to fall on the track, forcing the drivers to switch to wet tyres. However, conditions improved again at the end of the session, as a thrilling battle for pole position unfolded.
15-year-old Antonelli took full advantage of the drying track, setting a time of 1:36.456 minutes to secure pole position for the opening race at the Formula 1 circuit. “That is a really cool prize,” said Antonelli after winning the Pirelli Pole Position Award. The Mercedes junior received a balance board for his efforts. “We opted for wet tyres at the start of qualifying, as the track was clearly too wet for slicks. Fortunately, the racing line soon dried out. First place on the grid is particularly important in Zandvoort, as it is not so easy to overtake,” said the pole-sitter.
Lining up behind Antonelli and Camara (+0.536 seconds) will be another two Prema Racing drivers, James Wharton (15/AUS, +0.720 seconds) and Conrad Laursen (16/DNK, +1.042 seconds). Fifth place went to Martinius Stenshorne (16/NOR), the best Van Amersfoort Racing (+2.031 seconds). Zandvoort is a home event for the Dutch team from Zeewolde. Emerson Fittipaldi jr. (15/BRA/Van Amersfoort Racing), son of two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, was sixth (+2.176 seconds). Dutch driver Maya Weug (18/NED) qualified seventh for her home race (+2.224 seconds).
The second session took place in dry conditions, and it was again Antonelli (1:35.761 minutes) who came out on top in his battle with Camara (+0.323 seconds). The second row of the grid for Sunday’s first race is also firmly in Prema Racing hands: Charlie Wurz (17) from Austria (+0.451 seconds) qualified ahead of Wharton (+0.485 seconds). Nikita Bedrin (16/ITA) rounded off the top five (+0.794 seconds).
Race one in the Dutch dunes begins at 15:35 on Saturday afternoon. The action involving the motorsport stars of tomorrow will be streamed live and free at motorsport.tv and adac.de/motorsport.