Son of Formula 1 world champion Fittipaldi set for his first race in ADAC Formula 4. Former F1 driver Luca Badoer sees his offspring take to the grid. First outing of season for Van Amersfoort Racing, home event for BWR Motorsport.
The 2022 ADAC Formula 4 season is picking up pace: From 13th to 15th May, the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg hosts the second race weekend of the 2022 ADAC Formula 4 season. A total of 21 drivers from 15 different countries will make for a large and international field. The new, 180-hp Formula 4 car is set for its first competitive outing in Germany, having made its race debut at the season-opener at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. All of the races featuring the stars of tomorrow are streamed live and free of charge at adac.de/motorsport and motorsport.tv. Emerson Fittipaldi jr. (BRA) and Brando Badoer (ITA) will add some genuine Formula 1 flair to the youth series: Fittipaldi jr. Is the son of two-time F1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi. Badoer’s father, Luca Badoer, also drove in the pinnacle of motor racing. The duo lines up for Van Amersfoort Racing.
The 2021 championship-winning team will enter the fray for the first time in Hockenheim. Last season, Frits van Amersfoort’s team did the treble: Driver, Rookie and Team titles. The Dutch travel to the 4.574-kilometre circuit with a high-quality line-up. Like his father, 15-year-old Fittipaldi jr. has his sights set on Formula 1, and he is not only following in his dad’s footsteps: Enzo Fittipaldi (BRA), grandson of the F1 champion, also raced in ADAC Formula 4 and finished third in the 2018 season.
15-year-old Badoer is another big name in the Van Amersfoort Racing ranks. His father Luca Badoer can list Grand Prix starts for iconic racing team Ferrari among his achievements. Arias Deukmedjian (17/USA), Martinius Stenshorne (16/NOR) and Jules Castro (18/BEL) occupy the remaining seats at Van Amersfoort Racing. Charlie Wurz (17/AUT/Prema Racing) is another son of a former Formula 1 driver who starts in ADAC Formula 4, as his father Alex Wurz also raced in the pinnacle of motor racing.
After three races, the Drivers’ Championship currently looks like an exciting two-way battle. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (ITA/Prema Racing) leads ADAC Formula 4 with 62 points after two victories at the opening round at Spa-Francorchamps. His team-mate Rafael Camara (17) trails the 15-year-old by just one point. Camara is also on course for the title in the Rookie competition: With 75 points to his name, the Brazilian occupies the top spot ahead of Rasmus Joutsimies (19/FIN/Jenzer Motorsport). Prema Racing tops the Team standings after three victories at the Ardennes rollercoaster: The Italian team has 126 points and takes a 48-point lead over US Racing into the second weekend of the season. PHM Racing is third with 52 points.
For BWR Motorsport, the races at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg are a real home event: The team is based in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, roughly 36 kilometres from the former Formula 1 circuit. Team principal Erich Baumgärtner is putting his faith in a young German driver in Chris Rosenkranz (18/Baabe), with 15-year-old Italian Alfio Spina occupying the second cockpit. ADAC Formula 4 has held 31 races in Hockenheim, and the series has visited the iconic circuit near Heidelberg in every season. Like at the season-opener at Spa-Francorchamps, the layout promises spectacular slipstream battles and a lot of overtaking. The last time ADAC Formula 4 travelled to the track in the Schwetzinger Hardt woodland, US Racing celebrated two victories. In Marcus Amand (16/FRA) and Nikhil Bohra (17/SIN), the team run by Ralf Schumacher and Gerhard Ungar lines up with two young, international drivers in 2022.
Races four to six of the ADAC Formula 4 season will again feature on the support programme for the 24H Series. The two free practices and Qualifying 1 on Friday will give a first indication of who to look out for. Race one starts at 11:15 on Saturday. Two races take place on Sunday, at 09:15 and 13:15.
