The ADAC Formula Junior Team will be traveling to Nogaro for the season-opener in the French Formula 4 championship from 8th to 10th April. Max Reis (Ramstein) will mark the start of his second year at the 3.6-kilometer circuit in south-western France, while Tom Kalender (Hamm/Sieg) and Finn Wiebelhaus (Obertshausen) will be celebrating their racing debuts in the Formula 4 car. The Mygale M21-F4, which will be the standard car for the series, features current Formula 1 safety technology with the Halo system. The turbo engine in the Monoposto car will be powered by 100% renewable biofuel. The championship consists of seven events, each with three races, and will be visiting a range of attractive circuits in France, Italy, and Belgium. All 21 races for the ADAC Formula Junior Team will be broadcast free of charge via live stream on the FFSA YouTube channel youtube.com/@ffsa/streams.
The most experienced driver in the ADAC Formula Junior Team is Max Reis, who competed in the French Formula 4 championship in 2022. At the Grand Prix de Pau, the 16-year-old recorded a podium finish at the tight, challenging street circuit. He is now aiming to return to the rostrum on a more regular basis: “In my second year, I certainly want to be more competitive and prove what I can do,” explains the driver from Rhineland-Palatinate. He is involved in intensive preparations to reach that objective: “I have learned a lot at the training sessions and during the test drives and I am ready for the races.”
This will be the first season in single-seater racing for Finn Wiebelhaus. He raced in the ADAC Kart Masters last year, claiming the championship title in the X30 class. Now he is focused on taking the next step forward: “I am entering uncharted territory in 2023. Above all, I am aiming to learn a lot and continue to develop as a driver,” says the 16-year-old. He was also quick to praise the chemistry in the ADAC Formula Junior Team: “I got on well with my team-mates from the word go. We have been supporting one another since we first met and we benefit from the group dynamics,” explains the driver from Hesse.
15-year-old Tom Kalender is the youngest driver in the ADAC Formula Junior Team and his first test drives have left him with a good feeling about his first season in single-seater racing: “I am very pleased with how I have switched from karting so far and I can see the progress I have made. My training at the FFSA Academy is also helping me to prepare well for my first race.” The driver from the Westerwald region is particularly looking forward to the race weekend in Belgium: “I am a big fan of the circuit at Spa-Francorchamps. It is a traditional Formula 1 track with plenty of spectacular sections. I think that everyone is really looking forward to this event,” explains a euphoric Tom Kalender.
The ADAC Formula Junior Team continues the long tradition at ADAC of developing talented young drivers. The training provided at the FFSA Academy is a fundamental component of this, focusing on fitness, nutrition, data analysis, and understanding racing. There are also numerous opportunities for testing on various circuits.
Calendar
08. – 10.04.2023 Nogaro / F Championnat de France FFSA GT
05. – 07.05.2023 Magny-Cours / F Championnat de France FFSA GT
12. – 14.05.2023 Pau-Ville / F Grand Prix de Pau
02. – 04.06.2023 Spa-Francorchamps / B Spa Euro Race
14. – 16.07.2023 Misano / I GT World Challenge Europe
22. – 24.09.2023 Ledenon / F Championnat de France FFSA GT
06. – 08.10.2023 Paul Ricard / F SRO Racing Festival