Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Earns JS F4 Team Championship, while Drew Szuch Named Most-Improved Driver and Jake Pollack Wins Omologato Perfectly Timed Pass Award
CHARLOTTE (December 31, 2024) – The Ligier JS F4 Series made its debut this season, utilizing the first-generation Ligier JS F4 chassis, Hankook tires and Honda K20C1 engines developed and engineered by Mountune. Open to drivers as young as 14, the championship proved to be an excellent training ground for young talent getting their first formula car racing experience after karting. With five different winners throughout the season, it was Scuderia Buell’s driver Teddy Musella who emerged as the 2024 Driver Champion, while Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport won the Team Championship. Driver/owner Drew Szuch was honored with the Catherine Crawford Most Improved Driver Award, while Jake Pollack was recognized as the winner of the Omologato Perfectly Timed Pass Award.
JS F4 Driver Champion
Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) came from behind in a thrilling battle to win the inaugural Ligier JS F4 Series Driver Championship this season. The 15-year-old Floridian left the season opener with the points lead, but an ultra-competitive season saw five different winners and 12 podium finishers throughout the 15 races.
As the 2024 JS F4 season reached its halfway point, obvious frontrunners had emerged in the championship points battle. Musella led the standings leaving NOLA, but Bacon Zelenka (No. 45 Bacon Racing Ligier JS F4) overtook the top spot after winning two rounds at Road America. As they left Mid-Ohio, Musella once again took the lead, while Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) moved from third to second in the standings after notching two additional wins that weekend. At New Jersey Motorsports Park, Brad Majman (No. 95 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) was unstoppable, sweeping all three races, while Hauanio finished second in all three events to grab the points lead.
With a three-month break until the season finale at Circuit of The Americas, drivers had plenty of time to train and strategize how to win their championship. While Hauanio entered the weekend as the points leader, Musella was just 4.5 points back in second. Musella put together his strongest performance since the season opener, winning two races and finishing second in the final race of the season to secure the title.
“What an amazing year it has been,” said Musella at the Year-End Awards Ceremony. “There were some crazy races and great battles, even back to NOLA for the first race of the season. Getting two wins right off the bat with the pole that weekend was an amazing feeling. From then on, it was a lot of ups and downs, but through it all, I just want to thank my team, Scuderia Buell, Pablo [Benites Sr., team owner], my dad, my sponsors, Triarsi Competizione and everyone else that’s been helping me throughout this journey. It’s been a great journey so far.”
As the 2024 Driver Champion, Musella secured a scholarship to compete in the 2024 F4 U.S. Championship season. Valued at more than $133,600, the prize package includes an engine and chassis lease from Ligier Automotive, two sets of tires per event from Hankook Motorsports and entry fees from Parella Motorsports Holdings. Musella was also awarded a variety of other prizes, including a carbon Bell helmet, custom OMP racing suit and a bespoke Omologato timepiece.
READ MORE: 2024 Driver Points Championship Standings
JS F4 Team Champion
With five drivers competing under their banner at one point or another this season, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport earned the inaugural Team Championship title in JS F4 history. Taking the points lead by Round 2 at NOLA Motorsports Park, the Dallas-based organization never looked back, with their drivers combining for nine wins, 18 podiums and 47 top-10 finishes this season. Team co-owners Garry Orton, Teena Larsen and Gill Kaszuba all took the stage together to accept the team’s trophy during the year-end awards celebration.
READ MORE: 2024 Team Points Championship Standings
Most-Improved Driver
Drew Szuch (No. 28 Szuch Racing Ligier JS F4) was named the recipient of the 2024 Catherine Crawford Most Improved Driver Award in JS F4, awarding him a $2,000 parts credit from Ligier Automotive North America. A driver/team owner completing his rookie season, Szuch steadily improved all season. With only one finish outside the top 10, Szuch earned six top-five finishes before finally breaking through for his first podium in Round 14 at Circuit of The Americas.
Omologato Perfectly Timed Pass Award
Jake Pollack (No. 1 JENSEN Ligier JS F4) had moved up to Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) competition by the time JS F4 reached its season finale at Circuit of The Americas in November. Despite that, he led all JS F4 competitors in passes made throughout the season to earn the Omologato Perfectly Timed Pass Award, which recognizes the driver who picks up the most spots from their starting position to their finishing position of each race. Throughout his 12 JS F4 races this season, which included two podium finishes, Pollack picked up 20 positions to secure the award.
Highest-Finishing Female on PMH’s Open-Wheel Ladder
Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab / Supermatch Ligier JS F4) made history in 2024, becoming the highest-finishing woman in any series on Parella Motorsports Holdings’ (PMH) open-wheel ladder. With a runner-up finish in Round 1 at NOLA Motorsports Park, it was obvious Cáceres came to JS F4 for one thing—to compete. With three additional podiums, 10 total top-five finishes and 12 finishes inside the top 10, Cáceres finished third in the driver point standings. As the first woman to finish inside the top-three in the year-end point standings, Cáceres also helped her team become Third-Place Team Champions, despite being a single-car entry racing against multi-car teams.
JS F4 will kick off its 2025 season, March 27-30 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La. For news and updates throughout the off season, be sure to follow JS F4 on Facebook, Instagram and X. Prospective drivers wanting to learn more about JS F4 or Parella Motorsports Holdings open-wheel ladder, and how to get involved in the 2025 JS F4 season should visit JSF4Series.com.