Three former ADAC Formula 4 drivers will line up in the European Le Mans Series in 2022. Niklas Krütten and Sophia Flörsch already have experience of driving the LMP cars. Valentino Catalano, on the other hand, is making his debut in the prototypes. The new season starts in April for the trio from Germany.
The 2021 season was something of a success story for Niklas Krütten. The 19-year-old was making his debut in an LMP3 cockpit and started every race in the European Le Mans Series. The young man from Trier ended his rookie season as runner-up in the Driver and Team competitions with COOL Racing. The long-time ADAC Stiftung Sport driver will again drive for Frenchman Nicolas Lapierre’s team in 2022. Krütten will share the cockpit of an Oreca 07 with the team principal and China’s Yifei Ye. Not only will the young German drive the LMP2 powerhouse in the ELMS, but also at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. Krütten competed in the ADAC’s high-speed school in 2018 and 2019.
After starting out in karting, Sophia Flörsch also stepped up to ADAC Formula 4. The 21-year-old spent two years in the junior Formula series. The young lady from München has spent the past two seasons driving LMP2 cars in the FIA WEC and the ELMS. Flörsch also has two starts to her name at probably the most famous 24-hour race in the world, in Le Mans. In the ELMS, Flörsch lines up alongside Roman Rusinov (RUS) for G-Drive Racing.
Valentino Catalano is following a similar path to the aforementioned duo. At 16 years of age, he is now stepping up from the Formula school to the European Le Mans Series, where he will take his place at the wheel of the Ligier JSP320. He will race for RLR Msport (Great Britain) in 2022 and will share the cockpit of the LMP3 car with Austin McCusker (USA) and Horst Felbermayr junior (AUT). Last year, Catalano started for BWR Motorsport in ADAC Formula 4 at the season-opener at the Red Bull Ring and in Zandvoort.
The opening race of this season’s European Le Mans Series takes place on 17th April in Le Castellet, France.