A big moment for Rafael Camara (17): The Brazilian claimed his first Pirelli Pole Position Award of the season. The Prema driver will start both of Saturday’s races at the Nürburgring from front of the grid. His reward for securing pole was one of the coveted and attractive prizes from the official tyre partner of ADAC Formula 4. Meanwhile, the situation in the title race remains tense.
The pole-sitter looked astonished when he was presented with the prize for the fastest driver in qualifying. “Wow. I could really use the camera. What a mega cool prize,” said Camara, unable to hide his joy at the ‘GoPro Hero 8 Black’ action camera. The young man from the Ferrari Driver Academy had been made to work hard for first place on the grid: as it had yesterday, drizzle proved a real challenge for the stars of tomorrow.
Camara produced the fastest lap of qualifying on Friday afternoon, setting a time of 2:17.054 minutes on the 5.148-kilometre Grand Prix circuit at the racetrack in the Eifel. Behind him, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (16/Prema Racing) will start from second place on the grid, having secured a good position in the race for the championship (+0.483 seconds). Sandwiched between the Italian and fourth-placed (+0.656 seconds) Taylor Barnard (18/GBR/PHM Racing) is James Wharton (16/Prema Racing). The Australian starts third (+ 0.635 seconds). Ugo Ugochukwu (15/USA/Prema Racing) qualified fifth (+1.188 seconds).
There was no beating Camara in the second qualifying session either, as again went fastest in a time of 2:16.019 minutes. “I am thrilled with the result, particularly given that this is my first time driving at the Nürburgring. The conditions were really challenging. The track started to dry a little at the end of the second session, which allowed me to put together a faster lap,” said Camara.
The winner of the race at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, was followed in second place by Ugochukwu (+0.600 seconds). The McLaren Junior outperformed Antonelli (+0.654 seconds) on his final attempt and starts alongside Camara on the front row of the grid. The second row promises to provide plenty of excitement, as Barnard starts fourth (+0.847 seconds), directly behind Antonelli. He can still be crowned champion at the season finale in the Eifel, but must finish ahead of Mercedes Junior Antonelli and hope that results go his way. Wharton completes the top five (+ 1.152 seconds).
A double-header awaits the young motorsport stars on Saturday: the first race of the final weekend begins at 09:55, before race two gets underway at 16:25. motorsport.tv and adac.de/motorsport are broadcasting the action from the former Formula 2 circuit in a free livestream.
