F3 Americas Championship Car 'Inspires Confidence' in Zach Veach
F3 Americas Championship Car 'Inspires Confidence' in Zach Veach
IndyCar Driver Zach Veach turns first laps on American soil in F3 Americas car
With a crowd of young drivers lined down the pit walls, Andretti Autosport IndyCar driver and Ohio native Zach Veach dazzled as he squealed the Pirelli P Zero slicks on new F3 Americas Championship Powered by Honda car down pit lane at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Veach turned the first laps on American soil as a demonstration before the Championship’s world debut in August.
“The car is fun to drive, it’s challenging in the ways it needs to be to develop drivers for the next step,” Veach said. “The steering is so positive and there is so much grip that I wanted to just go out there and push as hard as I could. It kind of inspires confidence as soon as you get in it.”
The new F3 Americas Championship car is equipped with the 270-horsepower Honda Civic® Type-R® turbocharged K20C1 motor.
“For me I was blown away just from the balance of the car and honestly the driveability on how smooth the Honda Civic Type R engine is in it. I haven’t been in many race cars where you can hear the turbo engine build up pressure as you’re going down the straight away,” said Veach who drives a Honda Civic Type R when he’s not driving his Honda-powered IndyCar. “That’s such a cool experience for a driver because you know how much power is being delivered every time you hit the throttle.”
The FIA imposes particularly strict safety measures and the carbon fiber Ligier JS F3 chassis complies with all the FIA F3 Regional regulations, including the first North American application of the race halo.
“With the F3 car having the halo we’ve only seen pictures from side views. We really haven’t got to sit in the car and see it from a visual perspective,” Veach continued. “When you get in the car it (the halo) immediately leaves your view and you don’t even notice it on track. As soon as you’re strapped into it, you don’t even know that it’s there.”
The exposition coincided with the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda mid-season event. The F3 Americas Championship is slated to debut next month at Pittsburgh International Race Complex during the Keystone Speedfest Aug. 3-5. For more information visit F3Americas.com.
Additional Media: