Schiller holds on to Lausitzring reverse-grid win

Photo: ADAC Formel Masters

16-year-old Fabian Schiller has secured his first victory in ADAC Formel Masters, having narrowly kept Stefan Riener at bay until the race was cut short by a red flag.

Neuhauser’s Riener started the race from pole position, but was slower off the line than fellow front row man Schiller. The two series rookies were soon joined at the front by Ralph Boschung, who overtook Mikkel Jensen for third.

On pure race pace, both Riener and Boschung seemed quicker than Schiller, but neither of them could find an opportunity to strike, while, behind, experienced drivers Alessio Picariello, Jason Kremer and Beitske Visser were making quick work of the field. Championship leader Picariello worked his way up from seventh to fourth and was soon right behind the leading trio as the race entered its closing stages.

With nobody able to make any progress in the four-car train, Picariello attempted a rash move on Boschung into the last corner of the final lap, leaving the Swiss driver no space in the process. Contact ensued, with Boschung’s car ending up stopped mid-track and, after Nicolas Beer accidentally ran into the stranded car, the race was red-flagged.

As such, the race results were declared based on the previous lap classification. Schiller was the winner, ahead of Riener and Boschung. Picariello’s fourth place was taken away due to a post-race 30-second penalty, with the position inherited by Kremer, who drove a spectacular race from 20th on the grid.

Marvin Dienst and Jensen followed in fifth and sixth, with the winner of the two prior Lausitzring races Maximilian Gunther settling for seventh. Beer was given eigth, with Visser (who started the race in last place) and Hendrik Grapp collecting the final points.

With two rounds to go, Picariello leads his teammate Gunther in the standings by 62 points.

Race results

* Alessio Picariello was given a post-race penalty of 30 seconds added to his time