But can Any of these Yanks’ make it to thee Pinnacle
‘O Motorsports?
Presumably Y’all have heard about current
IndyCar Driver Colton Herta’s maiden Formula 1 Test outing for McLaren abourd a
year old McLaren MCL35M chassis at Portimao, Portugal Wayback’ over July 11-12,
Righto? As Herta’s been signed to a McLaren Testing contract and Arse-sumedly
we’ll see Him taking part in the (Free Practice) FP1 session at Circuit Of The
Americas (COTA) this Fast approaching October 21-23 weekend…
Yet Colton’s not the only Yank’ with
aspirations of reaching the Pinnacle of Motorsport, for which I’ve only just
become aware of several other Yanks’ plying their trade in Formula One’s Feeder
Series. Most notably thanks to the previously unknown Jack Crawford’s recent
triumph at the Red Bull ring.
Jack Crawford
Prema Racing, #5
Born: Charlotte, NC
DOB: 5/2/05, Age: 17
Jack Crawford began Karting in Houston at the
tender age of six. Winning several National Karting championships along with
competing Internationally before making His Single Seaters Debut in 2018. Winning
six races and amassing eight more podium finishes, Crawford finished runner-up
in the NACAM Formula 4 Championship behind Manuel Sulaiman, a future Indy Lights
competitor.
For 2019, Jack raced a partial U.S. F2000
National Championship season campaign for two teams, albeit missing the season’s
start due to being too young, ultimately finishing seventh Overall.
In January, 2020, Crawford became a member of
the vaunted Red Bull Junior Team. Along with contesting both the German (ADAC)
and Italian F4 Championships, finishing Runner-up to Red Bull Junior Team
member Jonnny Edgar in the ADAC F4 series. Before graduating to the FIA F3
championship the following year with Hitech Grand Prix, finishing 13th
Overall in His Rookie season.
For 2022, Crawford switched to the Italian Powerhouse
Prema Racing Team and became the first Yank’ to win in the FIA F3 championship,
claiming the Podiums top step in the Austrian GP FIA formula 3 Support rounds
Sprint race, His maiden F3 victory. And then currently sitting fourth Overall,
28 points behind leader victor Martins prior to the next outing at Hungary.
Following the Mighty Spa-Francorchamps weekend,
Crawford had dropped down to sixth, 26-points adrift of what had become a four
way scrum for the title! With Isack Hedjar, Oliver Bearman and Martin knotted at 106-105-104
points respectively. With Arthur Leclerc P4 with 101-points and Roman Stanuk in
fifth with 96-points with four races remaining.
Following the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at
Zanvoort, Crawford Had Dropped a further position in the Points standings, now
in seventh, 36-points adrift of Victor Martin. As the Frenchman regained His
Points lead with 126 points, Holding a Slim lead of 5 Markers’ over Countryman
Isack Hadjar entering the final two races at Monza.
And whilst Martin claimed the FIA F3
Championship at Monza. Crawford finished off His Sophomore season by finishing
third in the Feature Race. Netting Him a total of five Podium finishes this
season. His Austria win coupled with a pair of second and third places leaving
Him seventh Overall.
Juan Manuel Correa
ART Grand Prix, #9
Born: Quito, Ecuador
DOB: 8/9/99, Age: 22
Juan Manuel Correa Borja has Dual Nationality and
races under an American license. As perhaps Correa’s name is vaguely familiar
to Y’all? That’s because He was involved in a fatality Crash at the Mighty Spa’
in 2019, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Juan began Karting in 2008 and won titles in
both Ecuador and the United States before making His Single Seaters Debut in
2016.
For 2016 Correa competed in both the ADAC and
Italian F4 Championships, scoring three wins in the Italian series and finishing
sixth Overall. While He finished P10 in the German series, before contesting a
second season in both Formula 4 Championships.
Correa made His GP3 series debut Mid-season at
Spa-Francorchamps for Jenzer Motorsport before contesting the full 2018 GP3
season with Jenzer. And although I’d say His results weren’t spectacular,
finishing 12th Overall. I do find it funny that Correa’s Bio points
out that He finished four places Ahead of His only fulltime teammate Tatiana
Calderon; Hmm, where have I Heard Her name lately?
For 2019 Juan graduated to FIA Formula 2 with
the Sauber Junior Team by Charouz, where His teammate was a bloke’ named Callum
Ilott. As we’ll never know if that season’s results would have turned out
different for All involved?
Since you may remember that Correa was involved
in a massive Shunt on lap-2 of the Spa-Francorchamps F2 Feature race, ricocheting
into Anthoine Hubert’s racecar. Ultimately ending with Hubert’s Death, the
first Formula 2 Fatality since Harry surtees occurred a Decade before at Z
Ironicaaly, Hubert’s Rookie teammate at BWT Arden
that season was the series first Female Driver, Tatiana Calderon…
Both of Correa’s legs were completely Shattered
from the Mega’ 65G Crash impact! With initial fears that His right Foot may
need Amputating! While Correa would also suffer from Acute Respiratory Distress
Syndrome following the Crash due to the High G-Forces suffered, and was place in
a Medically induced Coma.
Due to the seriousness of Juan’s accident, He
would require a year’s recovery before making His return to competition for the
ART Grand Prix team in the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2021, with Juan continuing
in the series this season.
Correa was a member of the Lotus F1 Junior Team
between 2014-2015, being Dropped when Renault took back over it’s Beleaguered
F1 Team. Then for 2019 He was signed as an Alfa Romeo Development Driver, alongside
Tatiana Calderon, who was an Test & Development Driver Herself.
Following His Accident and return to racing in 2021, Juan re-signed as a member of the Sauber Academy, previously known as the Sauber Junior Team, which serves as Alfa Romeo’s Driver Development programme.
