- Swede arrives in time for season-opener
- First test in Ligier FR Americas car completed
- Opening round just one week away
Linus Lundqvist has arrived in the USA in time for the opening round of the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda, and quickly got down to work in a crucial first test with his new team.
Having spent the last two weeks quarantining in Mexico in order to adhere to U.S. entry restrictions in the wake of COVID-19, Lundqvist’s arrival in the country means he remains on course to battle it out for the fully-funded 2021 Indy Lights drive on offer for the FR Americas champion.
READ: Linus Lundqvist in Mexico quarantine
Upon arrival in the U.S., Lundqvist travelled straight to the Apex Motor Club in Arizona to undertake two days of testing with his team, Global Racing Group. It will mark the only test the Swede completes before the start of the season in just over a week’s time.
“It’s great to finally be here, and it feels like a small victory in itself given the unprecedented circumstances currently facing the world,” says Linus Lundqvist. “This is the first time I actually meet my team, but I felt immediately welcomed. We share a common goal in fighting for this championship, and we had a really good start to our relationship.”
The private test took place in extreme Arizona heat, with temperatures soaring close to 45C. Global Racing Group ran a total of five cars, driven by Lundqvist, Formula Atlantic champion Dario Cangialosi (USA), Formula 4 graduate Nicky Hays (USA), James Roe (IRE) and last year’s FR Americas runner-up Benjamin Pedersen (DEN).
The outing offered Lundqvist his first-ever taste of the Ligier-built car used in the championship, which runs to one-make rules with spec chassis and standardised Honda turbo engines.
“I hadn’t sat in a racing car since February, so these were two really important days,” Lundqvist concludes. “The car is quite special, as are the characteristics of the turbo engine, but I felt comfortable straight away. It was a good test for me, and the team seemed happy too. The heat made it impossible to run in the afternoons, but I still got a decent understanding of the car and I think we have a solid baseline for the season ahead.”
Formula Regional Americas is set to kick off at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 26-28.
Revised Formula Regional Americas calendar:
June 26-28: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (OH, USA)
July 17-19: Virginia Intl. Raceway (VA, USA)
August 1-2: Barber Motorsports Park (AL, USA)
September 25-27: Sebring (FL, USA)
October 2-4: Homestead-Miami (FL, USA)
October 23-25: TBA
FURTHER INFORMATION
Formula Regional Americas
Global Racing Group
