Motoring
Southlander Brendon Leitch is wrapping up a successful race weekend at the Mosport circuit in Ontario, Canada, with points on the board and the satisfaction of having completed three races with a fast and consistent car beneath him.
His team, Kiwi Motorsport, added a second car at this round of the FIA Formula 4 USA Championship, enabling Leitch and new team-mate Dakota Dickerson to compare data and technique at the very fast 4.08 km circuit.
Kiwi race engineer David Versalko also joined the team.
“We’ve made massive progress, and it’s beginning to show in results. This year Formula 4 is so much more competitive than 2016, the grid is enormous and everyone’s looking to make a name for themselves,” he said.
The first race of the weekend, though blighted by yellow flags and safety cars, netted Leitch a sixth overall and his first points in the championship.
“That was hard work. In a grid of 29 cars I started off P7, made it briefly up to P5 but then lost that place on the last lap. Lots of the others used their fresh tyres early so they had more speed as the race went on,” he said.
Starting off P10 in race two on Sunday, he made the most of fresh tyres to move up to P6 at the finish.
“There were more ‘green’ laps this time and the finish was a great improvement. The car felt good, very consistent and the tyres were strong right through.”
In the third and final race, Leitch was penalised for making contact with another car during race two and pushed back ten grid positions, forcing him to start from near mid-
pack (P14).
“I got a good start and moved forward a few spots. Really struggling in traffic, the car was really good but lacked straight line speed. I was trying everything I could but unfortunately I started to fall back through the field as the cars ahead held me up in parts of the circuit where I could have made some gains.”
Leitch said that made the third race frustrating.
“I was on the defensive all the time, I could sit in the draft but couldn’t use that advantage to get out and pass.”
The next round of the championship brings racers back to the USA to race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, August 10-12. After a tough initiation in the Formula 4 United States Championship, New Zealand race driver Brendon Leitch has points on the board and is now confident of making his mark on the championship over coming rounds.