South African Jonathan Aberdein enjoyed a positive step forward in the ADAC German Formula 4 championship at the Sachsenring when the Cape Town teenager qualified 11th and finished 10th in the first heat to put him on pole position for Sunday’s reverse-grid third race. Jonathan retired from a strong eighth place on the second race after a car issue on the fourth.

Aberdein then drove a sensible race to 8th the finale - starting from pole he kept out of trouble while being overtaken by quicker cars to bring it home a fine eighth — the rookie’s best position in the series so far. “That was far more like it, Jonathan beamed. “It’s a pity we had trouble in the second race — the car was good and we were well placed, but that tenth in race 1 gave me pole for race 3.

“I knew the quicker guys would catch me so I drove my own race and kept out of trouble - 8th is good - it’s our best result so far and we are making progress every time I get in the car and I’m now only half a second off the pace in front. “We are taking it one step at a time - I still have a lot to learn and understand, but I’m getting better at it all the time.”

The third round of the ADAC German Formula 4 championship visits the Lausitzring on 5-6 June.