Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Leads Team Standings
CHARLOTTE (July 24, 2023) – With nine rounds complete, Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas) has officially passed halfway in its 2023 season. Drivers from around the globe are competing not only for the title, but, more importantly, for a chance to advance their career, as the championship-winning driver will be awarded a scholarship from Honda Performance Development (HPD) and Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) to compete in SUPER FORMULA in 2024.
New Zealander Callum Hedge (No. 17 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) currently leads the pack. With seven straight victories, Hedge is on the cusp of tying the record for most consecutive FR Americas wins. Kyle Kirkwood, now an INDYCAR winner, won eight consecutive races in 2018 to set a record that was tied in 2020 by Linus Lundqvist, last year’s INDY NXT Champion.
Just 25 points behind Hedge sits Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3). Shehan started the season strong, racing across the finish line on Hankook tires to take back-to-back wins in the opening two rounds at NOLA Motorsports Park. Since then, the 18-year-old has not finished outside the top three, and is the only driver to have a podium result in every race this season.
In his third season of FR Americas competition, Cooper Becklin (No. 19 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) has shown great consistency with eight podiums in nine races. The Oregonian matched his career-best finish (second) during Round 2 at NOLA, and has finished third in every race since Round 4 at Road America.
Manuel Roza (No. 12 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Oliver Westling (No. 1 JENSEN Ligier JS F3) are both looking to break through for their first podiums of the season. Competing in his first FR Americas season, Roza currently has four fourth-place results. Meanwhile, Westling, who sits just seven points behind Roza in the standings, has three fourth-place results this season.
Nick Persing (No. 29 OPI Commercial Builders Inc. Ligier JS F3) is the only other driver to finish on the podium this season. The sophomore at Boise State University has two runner-up finishes, which were both recorded in the opening weekend at NOLA. Persing is running a dual schedule this year while also competing in the Blue Marble Radical Cup; he currently leads both the Pro 1500 and overall championship standings in that series.
The FR Americas champion will be granted a 2024 Super Formula Scholarship from HPD and HRC. With a value of up to $600,000, the scholarship covers a substantial portion of the cost to run a full season, and includes an engine supply to run with a Honda-powered team selected by HRC. Additionally, the championship-winning driver will receive FIA Super License points, a carbon Bell helmet, a custom OMP Racing Suit, a Haas F1 Team guest experience at a U.S. F1 event, and an invitation to the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony at the conclusion of the season.
SEE MORE: 2023 FR Americas Driver’s Points Championship Standings
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport currently leads the Team Points Championship Standings. Between Shehan and Hedge, the team has won every race this season. Beyond that, their drivers have accounted for 25 of the 27 podiums available this year, and the organization has recorded seven podium sweeps to date—including the last six straight races.
Second in the Team Point Standings is JENSEN, a single-car effort who is holding their own against the rest of the field. With Westling behind the wheel, the team recorded their very first podium finish during last year’s season finale at Circuit of The Americas and continues their quest to return to the podium.
Only 30 points separate the teams sitting in third through sixth, with IGY6 Motorsports leading the charge over Cameron Racing, Velocity Racing Development and Austin Hill Motorsports.
SEE MORE: 2023 FR Americas Team’s Points Championship Standings
FR Americas is back on track next weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park, July 28-30. Follow the championship on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or watch Race Monitor for live timing and scoring. Tickets for the event are available at NJMP.com/SpeedTour.
