Publié le 27 octobre 2017
Many of you may well know that the Formula One United States Grand Prix was held last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas – not far from our K1 Speed facility. What you may not know, is that the weekend also hosted the final rounds of the flourishing Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda, where K1 RaceGear-sponsored Miller Vinatieri Leguizamón (MVL) Motorsports posted strong results with their three-driver lineup.
Created by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) as a less expensive open wheel option than Formula 3 for graduates of karting, F4 was brought stateside with help from the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) in 2016. The series partnered with Honda for the engines, Pirelli for tires, and Onroak Automotive/Crawford Composites for the chassis. The inaugural championship was such a success that the field nearly doubled to 33 drivers for the 2017 season, well-exceeding its already lofty expectations. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the series, is that it holds its distinction as the only junior racing series in the US that awards Super License points that allow drivers to get one step closer to a Formula One seat.
MVL Motorsports proudly uses K1 RaceGear crew shirts, firesuits, gloves and shoes to help provide a competitive advantage on the field, and is owned by legendary Colts placekicker Adam Vinatieri, Indy 500 veteran Dr. Jack Miller, and Argentinian racing veteran Alejandro Leguizamón. Their three drivers consisted of Argentinian Baltazar Leguizamón, and Americans Jack William Miller and Lawson Nagel, who gave it their all in the final two races of the season.
The weekend was a double-header with two races scheduled over Saturday and Sunday as support for F1. Saturday’s race saw all three drivers moving up in position, as Miller made up three spots to finish 24th, Nagel moved up five positions to finish 18th, and Leguizamón bettered his position by one spot to finish seventh.
Sunday’s finale was a phenomenal closer for the MVL Motorsports squad. While Nagel was unfortunately unable to gain position by race end, Leguizamón scored a magnificent top-five finish after starting ninth. However, the biggest star of the day for the team was Miller, who delivered a textbook driving performance and gained 11 positions during the race to finish within the top ten in ninth position.
It was a fantastic result for the team, with more fantastic news for Leguizamón, who will be graduating to the all-new F3 Americas Championship next year after two strong seasons in F4, including a win earlier this year at Virginia International Raceway (VIR).
Formula 4 United States begins its 2018 season the last weekend of April at VIR when it shares the weekend with Pirelli World Challenge and the new F3 Americas series. All you serious karters better start training at your local K1 Speed facility to sharpen your skills – we want to see you become the next F4 Champion!
For more information about K1 RaceGear to power you to the major leagues, visit us at www.k1racegear.com.
To find out more about MVL Motorsports, visit them at https://www.mvlmotorsports.com.
To find out more about the F4 United States Championship, visit their website at https://www.f4uschampionship.com/.