At the end of the first practice session at the Lausitzring, Joey Mawson leads the way after a late fastest lap ensured he was the only driver under 1 minute 22 seconds. Unlike most tracks where up to forty drivers take part in an ADAC Formula 4 session, the Lausitzring saw only 34 competitors on track.
Mawson had been one of the first out and immediately set the pace as it was Jannaeau Esmeijer who first challenged his session dominance. The Dutch driver consistantly set the quickest time, soon being joined at the top by team mate, Marvin Dienst.
Dienst had had a poor race in Spa-Francochamps and will be determined to get his championship challenge back on track as he hopes to beat Joel Eriksson who has taken the initiative in recent rounds. The German was the first driver under 1 minute 23 seconds, but would fall to sixth by the end of the session.
Having been quiet most of the session, Eriksson finally showed his true pace with 15 minutes remaining, only for rival Dienst to set a lap time identical to him. Meanwhile some drivers were able to make use of the wide space with Jannes Fittje and Giorgio Maggi going fourth and fifth respectively after running in the midfield.
As the times settled down, it was David Beckmann who was on top infront of Mawson and Eriksson with ten minutes remaining. Few drivers would improve until the end of the session as Robert Schwartzman set an impressive time to go fifth overall at the end.
Mick Schumacher had also had a quiet session, but upset the timing screens to go fourth in the dying seconds after the chequered flag had been waved. It looked like Dienst was to end the session on top but, like Schumacher, Mawson found some time at the end to go fastest, as Beckmann was pushed back to third.
