STEP Motorsport has been touring the racetracks in recent weeks as preparation for the season start in the Danish Formula 4 Championship.
With the shift from a single car in the Danish Endurance Championship to two cars in Formula 4, the level—and the workload—has increased significantly. There’s a lot to prepare for the season start, especially with two new cars that need to be learned, but the team is well and truly ready for the first race of the year:
-April has been busy! We’ve completed a decent number of test days at Padborg Park, Jyllandsringen, and Sturup Raceway, so at times it has been late before the lights went out in the workshop, says team manager Morten Dons, and continues:
-The mechanics have really worked hard to make things successful, and that can’t be praised enough. We have a really strong team behind these two cars, so I believe it will be a good year.
The team’s two drivers, Victor T. Nielsen and Julius Dinesen, have both had a good amount of time behind the wheel, and while they’ve gained valuable experience with their new tools, the team manager has enjoyed watching their development take off:
-Both boys have transitioned from karting really well, and they have been good at receiving and applying the feedback they’ve received from the mechanics and myself. You can also see that in their lap times, the team manager says mysteriously.
There has also been a lot of activity in the decorative area. The cars have received a fresh wrap with plenty of space for the drivers’ own sponsor logos, and the entire tent has also been lovingly renovated during the winter break.
-We expect our drivers to invite their sponsors, friends, and family to visit throughout the season, and the team should serve as a good base to enjoy the day from, so the guests want to come back another time, says Dons.
The season opener at Padborg Park will be exciting. In a record large field of up to 14 identical Formula 4 cars, they will compete in three heats on the Sønderjylland racetrack, and the team manager will not put concrete words on his expectations for the drivers:
-This is the first race for Julius and Victor—and for the team as well—in Formula 4, so the focus is one hundred percent on getting off to a good start, getting used to how a race is run in a formula car, and of course coming home without any damage. There aren’t many returning drivers from last year in the field, so it’s hard to know how the competition stands… but I’m optimistic, let me put it that way, concludes Morten Dons.
The season premiere will take place at Padborg Park on May 7-8. The races in the Formula 4 class can be watched live on YouTube (https://youtube.com/supergtdanmark).