Mick Schumacher (17, Germany, Prema Powerteam) got away to a flying start at the opener of the Motorsport Festival Lausitzring today, 3 June, by securing pole position in qualifying for the first two races of the ADAC Formula 4. The son of the German Formula 1 record-breaking world championship winner Michael Schumacher posted best time of 1:22.004 minutes in qualifying Group B and will consequently line up in front of the fastest from Group A, Kami Laliberté (16, Canada, Van Amersfoort Racing) in the race on Saturday (starting at 11:55 am). Laliberté set the fastest time of 1:22.493 in his group.
 
"I'm mega happy with today, because our plan worked out brilliantly well. Two pole positions! It doesn't get any better! Many thanks to my team. We've just all got to focus on tomorrow now," said Schumacher. Laliberté commented: "It's great that I was the fastest in my group. Unfortunately, the second group was faster, as the track was drier. I aim to win the race and to improve my standing in the overall classification."
 
Jannes Fittje (16, Germany, US Racing) and Thomas Preining (17, Austria, Lechner Racing) will line up directly behind Schumacher & Laliberté in the first race. Brazilian teenager Felipe Drugovich (16, Neuhauser Racing) will start from fifth on the grid in front of rookie Lirim Zendeli (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV) in the race at the Motorsport Festival Lausitzring where the ADAC Formula 4 is racing alongside the ADAC GT Masters and the DTM.
 
Next in the line-up are Juri Vips (15, Estonia, Prema Powerteam), overall championship leader Joey Mawson (20, Australia, Van Amersfoort Racing), Kim-Luis Schramm (18, Germany, US Racing) and Moritz Müller-Crepon (19, Switzerland, Van Amersfoort Racing). Local driver Mike David Ortmann (16, Germany, ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg eV) will start his 'home race' in eleventh position.
 
Grid positioms for the second race (Saturday, at 17:40) are decided by the second-best lap times of the session. Once again, Schumacher was well out in front with a 1:22.070. Mawson (Group A/1:22.625) will start from second place in front of Fittje (B/1:22.262), Zendeli (A/1:22.691) and Schramm (B/1:22.693). Laliberté (A/1:22.717), Ortmann (B/1:22,706), Preining (A/1:22.727), Vips (B/1:22.744) and Müller-Crepon (A/1:22.861) complete the Top Ten on the grid for the second race.
 
Jannes Fittje is certainly feeling optimistic about the race after qualifying. "We can build on our grid position. Everything is possible in both races - from a podium to a win, it's all there for the taking, so we can be quite pleased," said the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé.
 
Grid positions 23 to 35 for the first two races will be decided in the qualifying race on Friday evening (at 18:30). Result from the first race determine the grid for the third race (Sunday at 17:55). The Top Ten from this race line up in reverse order.