Home event for Van Amersfoort Racing. Special race for Dutch driver Maya Weug (Iron Dames). Debutant Valentin Kluss (PHM Racing) is the youngest driver.
ADAC Formula 4 is in Zandvoort for round three of the season. From 24th to 26th June, the international field, with drivers from 14 countries, will battle it out for points at the current Formula 1 circuit. The junior series features on the support programme for the ADAC GT Masters for the first time in 2022. Formula 1 flair comes courtesy of racing sons Emerson Fittipaldi jr., Charlie Wurz and Brando Badoer. Races seven to nine are taking place on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands, making them a home event for Van Amersfoort Racing. Dutch driver May Weug is also looking forward to racing in front of her home crowd. All the races in the ADAC’s high-speed school are streamed live and free on adac.de/motorsport and motorsport.tv.
Frits van Amersfoort’s team comes from Zeewolde, to the east of Amsterdam, roughly 80 kilometres from Circuit Zandvoort. As it did at the second weekend of the season, at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, the team lines up with five 180-hp Formula 4 cars. At the wheel of one car is Emerson Fittipaldi jr. (15), son of Brazil’s two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi. Brando Badoer (15/ITA) is the second well-known name in the ranks of Van Amersfoort Racing: His father Luca Badoer can list Grand Prix appearances for Ferrari in the pinnacle of motor racing among his achievements. Charlie Wurz (17/AUT/Prema Racing), son of former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz, completes the F1 contingent in ADAC Formula 4.
For Maya Weug (Iron Dames), the races at the 4.259-kilometre circuit are special for two reasons: The 18-year-old is the only female driver, adding some girl power to the field. The Dutch woman can also count on the backing of her home crowd at the circuit in the Zandvoort dunes. Weug was the first woman to be accepted into the Ferrari Driver Academy and enjoys special support from the Formula 1 outfit.
Valentin Kluss is another, for whom the weekend cannot come soon enough: Having celebrated his 15th birthday at the end of May, the PHM Racing driver is now set for his debut in ADAC Formula 4. “The anticipation is huge. It has always been a dream of mine to drive in a Formula race. I have worked hard to make it into Formula 4. In the races, I will initially be trying to get through without any issues and not take too many risks,” says Kluss. The youngster from Bad Mergentheim is the youngest driver in the current season. He lines up for Paul Müller’s Berlin-based team alongside another German driver, Jonas Ried (17/Ehingen).
In the Drivers’ Championship, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Prema Racing) remains the man to catch. With 137 points and five wins to his name so far this season, the 15-year-old Italian is sitting pretty at the top of the championship. His team-mate Rafael Camara (17/BRA) is second with 109 points. Two podiums in Hockenheim have catapulted Taylor Barnard (18/GBR/PHM Racing) into third place (58 points). Camara leads the rookie competition with 150 points, ahead of Rasmus Joutsimies (19/FIN/Jenzer Motorsport). Prema Racing (249 points) is looking to extend its lead in the Team competition at the demanding circuit with few run-off zones.
The young drivers get their first opportunity to familiarise themselves with the track conditions in Friday’s two free practices. The grid positions will be determined in the two qualifying sessions from 08:15 on Saturday morning. This is followed at 15:35 by the first race of the weekend. Two races are scheduled for Sunday, starting at 09:20 and 16:30. The reverse grid rule means the top eight drivers in race two will start the third and final race in reverse order, making for even more excitement.
