After an impressive time of 1 minute 26:230s, it will be Joey Mawson who takes the honour of being the first pole sitter of the 2016 ADAC Formula 4 season. He blitzed the opening group and remained on top, despite pressure from a highly qualified Group B.
It was US Racing‘s Kim-Luis Schramm who was fastest in the second session, however his time was still 0.223 seconds slower than the Australian’s, who will also be on pole for race two. After a fairly quiet winter test, Mawson will hope to silence the critics who thought he’d be unable to pull off another title fight.
Lining up in third will be Jannes Fittje as Prema Powerteam‘s top rookie, Juri Vips lines up alongside him on the second row. The two drivers impressed in their Italian Formula 4 championship debut last week and will be hoping to challenge for further podiums coming into this weekend.
Behind them will be another two drivers who impressed during that weekend. After topping second practice Mick Schumacher hoped for more, but was left disappointed to not only fail to make the front row, but fail to beat his own team mate. Behind the highly tipped German, Job van Uitert completes the third row.
With around 40 competitors entering the series every weekend, Qualifying races have been introduced for the weekend as to reduce the field to a certain capacity. In these, the slowest drivers from the two qualifying groups compete in order to eliminate a select number.
The race is also a chance for the lower midfield drivers to prove their ability in a series with minimal opportunities for drivers to prove themselves. After a tough battle at the front, it was Luca Engstler that came through to win the event by 5.8 seconds over one of Motopark‘s many rookie drivers; Jonathan Aberdien.
Behind the top two, a fairly quiet second half to the race saw Mauro Aurrichio complete the top three. The biggest casualty proved to be Oliver Söderström. The Swede was on course for a potential podium before a racing incident saw him punted into retirement. Marylin Niederhauser finished at the back and thus will also not qualify.