|
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) introduced the Formula Regional (originally called Formula 3)
concept in 2017 as the next step for Formula 4 competitors. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA Pro Racing)
debuted the Formula Regional Americas Championship in 2018.
To encourage participation drivers in the series are eligible for over $675,000 in awards and scholarships. In addition, the top championship finishers collect FIA Super Licence Points. The American series is aligned with the FIA and partners Honda Performance Development, Hankook Tire America and Ligier Automotive. Drivers compete in the Ligier JS F3 which is designed and manufactured by Ligier Automotive for the American series. The chassis is a carbon fiber monocoque. The suspension design is common to most open-wheel race cars – front and double wishbone, push-rod actuated shock absorbers and springs with anti-roll bars. All cars compete on Hankook tires. The Ligier is powered by a turbocharged Honda K20C1 engine, which produces just over 300-horsepower. A six-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission is fitted to the motor. The entire package weighs 1,430-pounds. The 2023 Formula Regional Americas Championship consists of six-weekends with three races held at each venue.
Rounds seven, eight and nine of the 2023 Formula Regional Americas Championship were held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Drivers competed in three thirty-five-minute contests around the thirteen-turn 2.258-mile road course.
|
|
|
The first lap into Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course's 'Esses' for round seven of the 2023 Formula Regional Americas Championship. Leading the field of nine starters is the current points leader and the pole-sitter, Callum Hedge, in the No. 17 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3. Behind Hedge are his teammates – Ryan Sheehan driving the No. 66 Ligier JS F3 and the No. 19 Ligier of Cooper Becklin. |
|
|
New Zealander Callum Hedge entered the Mid-Ohio weekend with four consecutive victories and when the event ended, he had extended his winning streak to seven races. Hedge put the No. 17 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3 on the pole for the weekend's first contest and went flag-to-flag. During rounds eight and nine, Hedge came under pressure from his teammate Ryan Shehan but prevailed for two more wins. |
|
|
Ryan Shehan won two of the first three rounds at NOLA Motorsports Park and is currently second in the standings. Shehan pilots the No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3. He qualified second for round seven at Mid-Ohio but was no match for his teammate Callum Hedge and finished in the runner-up position. Shehan finished second in Sunday's contests, but the margin in each event was 0.289 and 0.660-seconds, respectively. |
|
|
|
Cooper Becklin drove the No. 19 Ligier JS F3 prepared by Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport. His best result to date was a runner-up finish in round two at NOLA Motorsports Park, but he also suffered a DNF at that event. He spent the weekend chasing his teammates Callum Hedge and Ryan Shehan at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Becklin gave the team their seventh podium sweep of 2023 with his three third-place finishes. |
|
|
|
The engine used for the 2023 Formula Regional Americas Championship is a turbocharged Honda K20C1. The four-cylinder double-overhead camshaft motor produces 306-320-horsepower and 295-310-pound-feet of torque. The K20C1 is used in Honda's line of performance vehicles – 2017-2023 Civic Type R and the Acura Integra Type S. Fitted to the motor is a six-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission. |
|
|
|
The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course podium for round eight (Sunday morning's contest) of the 2023 Formula Regional Americas Championship. In the center is the current points leader and race winner, Callum Hedge. On the left is Hedge's teammate and the runner-up, Ryan Shehan. Completing the rostrum and giving Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport a sweep of the podium is the third-place finisher, Cooper Becklin. |
 |
 |
 |
| FINISH | START | DRIVER | TEAM / SPONSOR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Callum Hedge | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 25 | - |
| 2 | 2 | Ryan Shehan | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 25 | - |
| 3 | 3 | Cooper Becklin | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 25 | - |
| 4 | 5 | Manuel Roza | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 25 | - |
| 5 | 7 | Hayden Bowlsbey | Save22 | 25 | - |
| 6 | 4 | Oliver Westling | JENSEN | 25 | - |
| 7 | 8 | Austin Hill | SoOhio Equip/Alum Trailers/Ferris Mowers | 25 | - |
| 8 | 9 | Cole Kleck | Velocity Racing Development | 25 | - |
| 9 | 6 | Max Hewitt | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 25 | - |
| FINISH | START | DRIVER | TEAM / SPONSOR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Callum Hedge | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 26 | - |
| 2 | 1 | Ryan Shehan | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 26 | - |
| 3 | 3 | Cooper Becklin | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 26 | - |
| 4 | 4 | Oliver Westling | JENSEN | 26 | - |
| 5 | 5 | Hayden Bowlsbey | Save22 | 26 | - |
| 6 | 6 | Manuel Roza | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 26 | - |
| 7 | 8 | Cole Kleck | Velocity Racing Development | 26 | - |
| 8 | 9 | Austin Hill | SoOhio Equip/Alum Trailers/Ferris Mowers | 26 | - |
| 9 | 7 | Max Hewitt | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 26 | - |
| FINISH | START | DRIVER | TEAM / SPONSOR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Callum Hedge | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 24 | - |
| 2 | 2 | Ryan Shehan | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 24 | - |
| 3 | 3 | Cooper Becklin | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 24 | - |
| 4 | 4 | Manuel Roza | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 24 | - |
| 5 | 9 | Austin Hill | SoOhio Equip/Alum Trailers/Ferris Mowers | 24 | - |
| 6 | 8 | Hayden Bowlsbey | Save22 | 24 | - |
| 7 | 6 | Cole Kleck | Velocity Racing Development | 24 | - |
| 8 | 7 | Oliver Westling | JENSEN | 24 | - |
| - | 5 | Max Hewitt | Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport | 11 | Did Not Finish |
| Copyright Notice: |
| All content (photographs and text) appearing on this website are the exclusive property of © www.zoompics.com and are protected under International copyright laws. The subject matter on this website may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated. |
