Oliver Bearman sets the fastest time in the first free practice session of the ADAC Formula 4 season at the Red Bull Ring, Austria. Next up this afternoon is FP2.

16-year-old Bearman (Great Britain, Van Amersfoort Racing) clocked an unbeatable lap time of 1:31.178 minutes on a dry track – a first indication of the balance of power for this season. Bearman also impressed during the tests at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben in April. In second place (+ 0.622 seconds) was guest starter Leonardo Fornaroli (16, Italy, Iron Lynx), followed by rookie Taylor Barnard (17, Great Britain, BWR Racing), who was 0.655 seconds slower than Bearman.

Fourth fastest was Kirill Smal (16, Russia, Prema Powerteam), with Luke Browning (19, Great Britain, US Racing) fifth. Places six to eight were occupied by Cenyu Han (16, China, Van Amersfoort Racing), Victor Bernier (16, France, R-ace GP) and ADAC Stiftung Sport driver Tim Tramnitz (16, Hamburg, US Racing). Joshua Dufek (16, Switzerland, Van Amersfoort Racing) was ninth fastest, ahead of Sebastian Montoya (16, Columbia, Prema Powerteam), son of former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, in tenth.

The drivers in the ADAC’s high-speed school are back in action this afternoon. They return to the track for the second practice session at 13:40, before the two qualifying sessions for Saturday’s races take place this evening (from 18:35 and 18:45).