CHARLOTTE (October 10, 2024) – Drivers from Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and the Ligier JS F4 Series (JS F4) are filling the gap between rounds with various testing and race opportunities, all while keeping their reflexes sharp and race seats warm. With the season finale at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) now just weeks away, drivers are doing everything possible to stay focused as they head into the final race of the year.
Just one week ago, both current and new drivers alike visited Carolina Motorsports Park for the Ligier New Driver Test. The two-day test enabled newcomers to get their first taste of FR Americas, F4 U.S. and JS F4, while allowing current drivers to move up a class and try a new car.
Current JS F4 racers Demitri Nolan (No. 5 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) and JS F4 points leader Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) were among the drivers at the test, both making their first laps in the second-generation Ligier JS F422, which made its on-track debut in F4 U.S. competition this season.
“Coming out of the pits for the first time, I hit the gas and I hit my head on the back of the seat,” said Hauanio. “I wasn’t expecting how much power the new car has—I thought it was going to be similar to the other car, but everything’s just better. The brakes are better, the turning radius is better—it’s just an all-around upgrade.”
Back in the seat after a four-month hiatus, Parker Wallin (No. 34 SHAED Ligier JS F4) had the opportunity to get up to speed with his new team, Momentum Motorsports, before unloading at COTA later this month.
“The test this week has been very fun, but for me, it’s mostly preparation for the race coming up,” said Parker Wallin. “I’ve been out of the car for the last four months while we worked on gathering some funding, so this is a chance for me to get back in it. With this being a new driver test, I can spend some time in my normal car, but with Ligier being here, I can also hop in the new JS F422 car that’s raced in F4 U.S. to give that a try.”
The test also presented an opportunity for new teams to experience the series that comprise Parella Motorsports Holdings’ (PMH) Open-Wheel Ladder, with organizations like LC Racing and their two drivers, Max Mokarem and Clay Campbell, joining an event for the first time.
“This has been really fun,” said Mokarem. “The track is really nice, and the JS F4 car is cool. I really like that there’s other F4 cars here—and different types of cars, too. The new F4 car looks way cool. It’s been good to get in some laps and just spend time getting better.”
With four test sessions each day, Mokarem’s teammate Caleb Campbell was able to spend time in both the original Ligier JS F4 car and the second-generation Ligier JS F422.
“I was driving the original JS F4 car, and I love it—it’s an awesome car,” said Campbell. “But then I got in the new F422 car, and it’s awesome, too. The two cars are pretty different. The new car accelerates pretty quickly in comparison. It handles so nicely, too; I never got any understeer or oversteer. This test has been really great. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”
Ligier’s New Driver Test kicked off the first of several days that current F4 U.S. racer Barrett Wolfe (No. 13 spent piloting an FR Americas car. After gaining familiarity with the Ligier JS F3 chassis at the test, Wolfe returned to its cockpit just a few days later at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) where he raced with Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) in the VIR SpeedTour.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve driven the FR car,” said Wolfe at Carolina Motorsports Park. “I’ve been testing it. It’s just a rocket ship. I forget that there's some turbo lag, so I'm slow in the middle of the corner and then it just takes off. It’s kind of light on the ends, but the aero has so much grip; with the right setup, it's fast. I really like it.”
At VIR, Wolfe took on fellow Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport teammates Nicole Havrda (No. 6 Valley Kitchens Ltd / Colonial Countertops Ltd Ligier JS F3), Kevin Janzen (No. 24 US Power Group / Data Center Solutions Ligier JS F3) and Landan Matriano Lim (No. 73 739Racing Ligier JS F3) while racing as part of SVRA’s Group 9. With two races on the weekend, Havrda took the top step of the podium in Race 1, while Wolfe won Race 2. Contending for the 2024 Masters Champion title in FR Americas, Janzen also benefitted from additional seat time at a track where he previously visited Victory Lane with SCCA’s Formula Atlantic Division.
“I asked Gary and Teena if we could race at VIR given that it’s one of the best tracks anywhere on the planet,” said Janzen. “We were able to get a total of six Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport cars to enter the race weekend. There were 34 cars in our category in total, and we had to compete against cars with a significant advantage in horsepower compared to our cars. It was so much fun racing with the battles and overtaking. I’m grateful to the Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport team for making the VIR weekend happen. I think the extra track time and coaching from Roberto Moreno was very beneficial—it’s helping me pick up my pace and get more competitive. We will push at COTA for a good result.”
FR Americas, F4 U.S. and the Ligier JS F4 Series all return to action later this month with the season-finale COTA SpeedTour at Circuit of The Americas, October 31-November 3. Tickets for the event are available now at SpeedTour.net/Austin.
