The official ADAC Formula 4 two-day test marked the beginning of the 2017 season, taking place in Oschersleben. Nine teams will be competing this year, taking the chance for a first outing of their driver line-ups for the series’ third season.
“ADAC Formula 4 has long since established itself as one of the leading series in junior single-seater racing. The most successful contestants from the past season have made the step up to higher echelons of the sport. We are pleased about the number of new talents this year, and hope to be seeing many of them take their turn on the winner’s podium”, said ADAC Sport President Hermann Tomczyk.
Track time is especially important for those new talents, with the 3.696-kilometre track incorporating many changes in direction, demanding a good rhythm from the drivers. The first corner – a 90-degree left-hander – is particularly precarious, with the cars often being seen either in the run off area or crashing during the race.
Another key spot is the chicane ahead of the back straight, where the drivers can lose a lot of time when they don’t hit the ideal line. There are also some faster flowing sections, well-known for some exciting overtaking manoeuvres from ADAC F4 in the past.
With 20-year-old Nicklas Nielsen sitting behind the number 27 US Racing wheel, along with 15-year-old Frederik Vesti driving the number two Van Amersfoort Racing car, two Danish pilots will take part this year. “I tested with the team last December in Barcelona for two days and right away I felt at ease with the team and the car. I hope to be competitive from the first moment onwards, and I am ready to take the challenge”, explained Vesti, who is the latest addition to the Formula 4 field.
The ADAC Formula 4 class of 2017 is expected to consist of 28 drivers. The format of three races per weekend will remain the same but due to the reduced field, the qualifying race have been removed. “We are looking forward to steady races with less Safety Car periods”, ADAC Head of Motorsport and Classic Thomas Voss pointed out.
In addition, ADAC celebrates it’s 25th anniversary of promoting young motorsport talents. Over the past few years, many youngsters from the ADAC series have made it to the top in international motor racing: Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg as well as the three current German F1 drivers Sebastian Vettel, Nico Hülkenberg and Pascal Wehrlein, who have all won titles in the predecessor series of ADAC Formula 4.
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