ADAC Formula 4 produced plenty of exciting racing and fascinating facts for fans and spectators in 2022: We take a look at the statistics from last season’s ADAC Formula 4, which featured six events in three different countries.
ADAC Formula 4 remains a springboard for young international drivers. Over the course of the season’s 18 races, the starting grid featured 32 drivers from no fewer than 21 different countries. Italy was the best-represented nation, with four drivers. Germany lined up with three youngsters: Valentin Kluss (15/Bad Mergentheim/PHM Racing), Jonas Ried (17/Ehingen/PHM Racing) and Chris Rosenkranz (16/Baabe/BWR Motorsport).
Six different drivers celebrated race wins last season. With nine victories to his name, Italy’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli (16/Prema Racing) made the most appearances on the top step of the podium. All five of Taylor Barnard‘s (18/GBR/PHM Racing) triumphs came in the second half of the season. Rafael Camara (17/BRA/Prema Racing), Conrad Laursen (16/DNK/Prema Racing), James Wharton (16/AUS/Prema Racing) and Nikita Bedrin (16/ITA/PHM Racing) each won one race.
ADAC Formula 4 used a sustainable fuel in the Abarth turbo engines for the first time in 2022. Developed by Shell exclusively for the ADAC GT Masters and other ADAC Series, the fuel is made from 50% renewable components. The teams and drivers in ADAC Formula 4 covered a total of 36,840 kilometres with the fuel in free practice, qualifying and the races.
15-year-old German Valentin Kluss was the youngest driver in the season finale at the Nürburgring. The oldest driver was 19-year-old Rasmus Joutsimies (Jenzer Motorsport) from Finland. The average age at the final round in the Eifel mountains was 16.64 years.
Formula 1 flair in ADAC Formula 4: No fewer than three sons of former F1 drivers made their debut in the series in 2022. Charlie Wurz (17/AUT/Prema Racing) was following in his father’s footsteps. Former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz accompanied his son to the races. Luca Badoer sent his son Brando Badoer (16/ITA/Van Amersfoort Racing) to the ADAC’s high-speed school. The Italian lined up at Grands Prix for Ferrari, among others. Two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi visited the talent factory in Hockenheim and Zandvoort. His son Emerson Fittipaldi jr. (BRA/Van Amersfoort Racing) was one of the youngest drivers in the field, at just 15 years of age.
Exclusive tyre partner Pirelli once again rewarded the winners of the Pirelli Pole Position Award with attractive non-cash prizes this year. They included longboards and action cameras. Champion Antonelli won the award seven times. Barnard enjoyed a clear view of turn one on three occasions, while Camara started from the front of the grid twice.
The ADAC’s high-speed school was another international affair in 2022: Nine teams from five different countries did battle for the Team title. In BWR Motorsport, PHM Racing and US Racing, three of these teams came from Germany. Italy was represented by Iron Dames and Prema Racing. The family team at Sauter Engineering and Jenzer Motorsport flew the flag for Switzerland. R-ace GP (France) and Van Amersfoort Racing from the Netherlands completed the line-up.
Antonelli finished on the podium twelve times, again leading the way in terms of this statistic. Runner-up Barnard attended the podium ceremony on ten occasions, Camara nine. In total, twelve different drivers from eleven countries stepped onto the podium.
Girl power, courtesy of Maya Weug (NED/Iron Dames): The 18-year-old lined up at the current Formula 1 circuits at Spa-Francorchamps and in Zandvoort. The Dutch woman finished ninth in race one at her home event in the Netherlands.
Seven different drivers set fastest race laps in 2022. Mercedes junior Antonelli was again the top dog in this regard, with nine fastest laps to his name. Barnard, Camara and Wharton each achieved this feat twice. Laursen, Bedrin and Ried each went fastest in one race.
Ferrari Driver Academy youngster Camara was not only making his debut in the ADAC’s junior series, but also in Formula racing as a whole. As such, he and a further nine drivers also scored points in the Rookie competition. Camara picked up the maximum 25 points eleven times and was crowned the new champion rookie at the final race of the season, finishing ahead of Joutsimies.
With nine race wins to his name, Antonelli now lies third in the ADAC Formula 4 all-time best list. He replaces Germany’s Marvin Dienst (eight wins) in the bronze position. Joey Mawson (AUS), the 2016 champion, continues to top this list with 15 wins across different seasons. Lirim Zendeli (DEU) racked up 13 victories.
Antonelli made history at round two of the season at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, when he became the first driver since Norwegian Dennis Hauger in 2019 to win all three races on one weekend.
Spectators at the ADAC GT Masters weekend in Zandvoort witnessed the closest finish of the year: Laursen crossed the finish line just 0.058 seconds ahead of team-mate Antonelli to take victory in the second Sunday race. Antonelli had the most comfortable victory: He came home a full 11.947 seconds clear of Camara in the second race of the season at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
