F4 race 2 at the Circuits of The Americas in Austin, Texas on October 24, 2021. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Noel Leon has been named the 2021 Driver Champion for Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.) following two days of racing at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Meanwhile, Nico Christodoulou, who entered the weekend with a chance at the championship but was mathematically eliminated following a sixth-place finish yesterday, redeemed himself earning the win in F4 U.S.’s second and final race of the weekend on Sunday morning.
Logging the quickest lap of yesterday’s race, Christodoulou started from the pole position in Race 2. With a solid start on his Hankook tires, he maintained the lead from lights out all the way to the checkered flag. Leon was third when the lights went out, but he quickly overtook the second position and never looked back. Mac Clark, who was also vying for the championship, started fourth and settled into the third position by lap 2. The caution flag waved for an incident with the No. 31 of Christian Weir, who finished third in yesterday’s Race 1. The clock ran out before the race was able to restart, and the field took the yellow & checkered flag after 8 laps.
The race marked Christodoulou’s second win of the 2021 season, also taking the checkered flag in Round 6 at Road America in May. With the victory, Christodoulou was named the winner of the “Omologato Perfectly Timed Move of the Race” award, earning him a bespoke timepiece from Omologato engraved with F4 U.S. branding.
Leon, a 16-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico, joined F4 U.S. this season as a rookie after winning the 2020 NACAM F4 championship. He earned his first F4 U.S. win during the first race weekend of the season at Road Atlanta, followed by a pole position at Road America in May and another race win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in June. With consistency as a key to his championship run, Leon earned points in more races than any of his competitors during the 2021 season, acquiring points in 14 of the 17 rounds.
“The race weekend went just as planned,” said Leon, driver of the No. 19 DEForce Racing Ligier JS F4. “We had a really conservative weekend. We didn’t need to win the race, we were just out to gather points and that’s what we did. It’s been a hard year [in F4 U.S. competition]. There’s a lot of talent in the field, so there were a lot of race winners, [Jason] Adler, Nico [Christodoulou}, Mac [Clark], it wasn’t easy to win races. It was more about consistency.”With the championship, Leon also earned a scholarship to compete in the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas) for the 2022 race season. (Source: F4)
F4 Race 2 Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Entrant | |
| 1 | 22 | Nico CHRISTODOULOU | Velocity Racing Development | |
| 2 | 19 | Noel LEON | DEForce Racing | |
| 3 | 26 | Mac CLARK | Gonella Racing | |
| 4 | 29 | Erikson EVANS | Velocity Racing Development | |
| 5 | 39 | Bryson MORRIS | Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport | |
| 6 | 77 | Jason ALDER | Velocity Racing Development | |
| 7 | 2 | Jake BONILLA | Jensen Global Advisors | |
| 8 | 5 | Matt CHRISTENSEN | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 9 | 33 | Chase GARDNER | Gardner Motorsports | |
| 10 | 6 | Bijoy GARG | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 11 | 4 | Seth FOLEY | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 12 | 103 | Hayden BOWLSBEY | Velocity Racing Development | |
| 13 | 66 | Ryan SHEHAN | Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport | |
| 14 | 71 | Rodrigo GUTIERREZ | DC Autosport | |
| 15 | 36 | Justin ARSENEAU | ICAR Canada Racing | |
| 16 | 98 | Louka ST-JEAN | ICAR Canada Racing | |
| 17 | 23 | Arturo FLORES | Gonella Racing | |
| 18 | 1 | Oscar HAFFAR | Jensen Global Advisors | |
| 19 | 7 | Alexander KOREIBA | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 20 | 3 | Chase HYLAND | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 21 | 16 | Chara MANSUR | DEForce Racing | |
| 22 | 17 | Jose Andres MARTINEZ | DEForce Racing | |
| 23 | 12 | Maximillian PARKER | Jensen Global Advisors | |
| 24 | 25 | Joseph DANIELE | Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport | |
| 25 | 10 | Zoey EDENHOLM | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 26 | 9 | erong LI Jensen | Global Advisors | |
| 27 | 18 | Maxwell JAMIESON | DEForce Racing | |
| 28 | 20 | Viktor ANDERSSON | Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport | |
| 29 | 64 | Dylan HAJICEK | Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport |
F4
Launched in 2014, FIA Formula 4 was created to offer young race car drivers around the world the opportunity to take the first step from karting into the world of open-wheel racing. Designed to be globally recognized yet an affordable step between karting and F3, the F4 car was designed to keep costs down while providing an ideal learning tool for young drivers who have never raced cars before. The series offers more value and benefits than any other form of entry-level open-wheel racing at a low cost.
Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is the premier destination for world-class motorsports and entertainment in the United States. Just outside downtown Austin, Circuit of The Americas has hosted the biggest names in racing, action sports and music. At its heart is a 3.41-mile racetrack that was designed to challenge the world's most exacting competitors while providing a thrilling spectacle for audiences.
The 20-turn, counterclockwise circuit takes advantage of the naturally undulating landscape, including an intimidating 133-foot hill at Turn 1. It has hosted the Formula 1 United States Grand Pix, MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, ESPN's X Games, the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Pirelli World Challenge and more. Nestled within the track is Germania Insurance Amphitheater, the largest permanent outdoor amphitheater in Central Texas, and its 251-foot signature observation tower.
F4
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Circuit of The Americas
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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