Front-runner Théo Pourchaire has also won the second ADAC Formula 4 race at the Nürburgring. After his success on Saturday, the 15-year-old French teenager achieved a lights-to-flag victory on a wet track in temperatures of around 17 degrees, further extending his lead in the overall standings.
"I'm very pleased to have taken two home wins for the team. I'm delighted for the team and obviously for myself," said Pourchaire, and continued as he looked ahead to the final race of the weekend at 5.00 pm: "My goal is to sweep the board this weekend, for sure! I'll be lining up in P8. It will probably rain, so anything is possible. I'll give it my all."
Russian teenager Michael Belov (17) from R-ace GP came home behind the US Racing CHRS driver to take his maiden podium in the ADAC Formula 4. Pourchaire's team-mate, Arthur Leclerc (18, Monaco) in third place, completed the party on the podium. He is currently in second place overall. Alessandro Ghiretti (17, France) rounded off a strong performance for US Racing CHRS and its bosses, Ralf Schumacher and Gerhard Unger, in their home fixture. He took fourth place from Dennis Hauger (16, Norway, Van Amersfoort Racing) and Oliver Rasmussen (18, Denmark, Prema Powerteam ).
For the last race this afternoon on the legendary Eifel track, US Racing driver Roman Stanek (15, Czech Republic) will start from pole position ahead of rookie team-mate, Joshua Dürksen (15, Paraguay, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV), Rasmussen, Hauger, Ghiretti, Leclerc, Belov and Pourchaire.
Conditions this morning proved to be much tougher than on Saturday when the track quickly dried after a brief shower. It had rained in the Eifel on Sunday night, so everyone in the field was on full wets.
Dennis Hauger in second place on the grid was quickest off the line and went into Turn 1 ahead of pole-sitter Pourchaire, but the French teenager opted for the inside line and reclaimed the position. Leclerc made an excellent start and had improved from fifth to fourth after the opening lap. However, Stanek, currently Best Rookie in the ADAC High-Speed Academy, lost two positions and had to slot into P6.
On Lap 3, Hauger found himself under pressure, took an aggressive line, went over the kerbs and spun. The drivers behind him, Ghiretti, Leclerc, benefited from his mistake, as did Belov, who in the meantime had moved up from eighth on the grid to join the front-runners. On the laps that followed, a thrilling battle for second place developed behind Pourchaire out in front, which Belov won with a series of clever manoeuvres. The Russian attacked the two US Racing drivers, Ghiretti and Leclerc, took advantage of a gap and moved into second place.
The scraps made little impression on Pourchaire, who will celebrate his 16th birthday on Tuesday. He extended his lead on Belov to a comfortable six seconds and by a further two seconds on Leclerc, who took P3 after a mistake by Ghiretti. The three of them remained in the same order at the chequered flag after 30 minutes without a safety car deployment.
Pourchaire is now on 188 points in the overall standings. Leclerc, the younger brother of Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc, remains second with 126 points ahead of Alessandro Ghiretti with 110 points. Best Rookie of the season so far Stanek is third with 104 points in front of Hauger (103) and Gianluca Petecof (16, Brazil, Prema Powerteam), who is currently on 101 points after finishing ninth.
The 14th race of the season will start at 5.00 pm. The ADAC High-Speed Academy juniors will head next to race at the Hockenheimring in just under four weeks' time (13th September onwards).
SPORT1 will broadcast the ADAC Formula 4 races on TV and online at SPORT1.de. Racing can also be watched as live stream at adac.de/motorsport, on the Facebook page of the ADAC Formula 4 and at youtube.com/adac with a choice of German or English commentary.