CHARLOTTE (October 26, 2024) – Just three races remain in the battle for the 2024 Ligier JS F4 Series championship title as the series pulls into Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for its season finale next week. With 75 points still on the line, four drivers remain in contention for the title, while a total of seven will race to be honored as one of the top-three drivers during the year-end awards celebration next Saturday night.
Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) and Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) have been racing neck and neck all year, with each driver recording nine podiums during the opening 12 rounds. Hauanio’s four wins versus Musella’s three gives Hauanio the slightest advantage, with just a 4.5-point margin separating the two drivers.
In his second season racing Ligier’s first-generation JS F4 chassis, Hauanio has the benefit of experience on his side.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot this season,” said Hauanio. “Spending a second year in the same car, and joining a team—last year it was just me and my stepdad, but this year we joined Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport—has helped a lot. The team went over our car during the offseason and found quite a bit that was wrong with it. With that all fixed, it helped us gain some speed, and so has working with the driver coaches and engineers. I’ve learned a lot this season.
“We’re going to need a clean race at COTA, but I think we’ll be able to do it,” Hauanio continued. “I’m going into the weekend not really thinking about the championship, and just focusing on winning the race instead. If I win the race, then I’ll win the championship, too.”
Musella started the season as the youngest driver in the field during JS F4’s season opener at NOLA Motorsports Park. Despite that, he became the series’ inaugural winner, claiming the checkered flag in Round 1 with his Scuderia Buell team. The rookie has filled his season with seat time, competing not only in JS F4, but also continuing karting, racing in Formula FARA, and even making a start in USF Juniors. Much like he’s adapted to different cars and series all season, he plans to remain focused and calm on the track to gain an advantage over his opponents at COTA.
“My mindset going in to COTA is no different than any other weekend—I’m focused on winning races and staying calm if something goes wrong,” said Musella. “The only difference is that it’s for the championship this weekend. I’m not treating it any different than any other race—I’ve been doing laps on the sim and working out in the gym, focusing on what to do to win.”
Behind Hauanio and Musella, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport teammates Bacon Zelenka (No. 45 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) and Brad Majman (No. 95 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) are in a tight battle of their own. Zelenka’s two wins at Road America earlier this year, compounded with three additional podiums, have him just 54 markers behind the points lead. However, just another 3.5 points behind Zelenka is Majman, who’s carrying the most momentum into the season finale after sweeping the weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) during JS F4’s most recent round. Both drivers agree their focus will remain on simply having the best weekend possible, continuing to learn and honing their race craft.
“I’m more focused on learning and growing as a person, driver, engineer and mechanic,” said Zelenka. “My goal every week is to improve and learn—when you improve, you win. My mindset for this weekend is just to have a clean weekend. I’d like to get a triple podium, since that’s the only thing I haven’t done this year. I need to do some gap management and take opportunity when its presented. This year wasn’t the best for me, but what makes a champion is the ability to know when to push and risk, and when to bide your time, lie in the weeds and wait to strike.”
“I’m really looking forward to getting back into the car to finish off what has been a really successful first season in cars,” said Majman. “I’m not thinking about the championship too much, but more what I can take away from the weekend and continue my learning and progression in cars. It’s been really nice to be back home since our last round at NJMP, but now it’s time to capture some more success with Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport.”
Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab / Supermatch Ligier JS F4), while just a few points shy of being mathematically eligible to make a run at the title, is still well within striking distance for second or third. Earlier this year, the Uruguayan became just the second woman to podium in any of the series on Parella Motorsports Holdings’ (PMH) open-wheel ladder. Now, with just three races left this season, she’s ranked fifth in the standings.
Two rookies round out the drivers that are mathematically eligible to finish inside the top three, with Drew Szuch (No. 28 Szuch Racing Ligier JS F4) ranked fifth and Jake Pollack (No. 1 JENSEN Ligier JS F4) in sixth. Szuch is still searching for his first podium of the season after a trio of fourth-place results. Meanwhile, Pollack, a two-time podium finisher in JS F4 in 2024, will move up to FR Americas competition to make his series debut at COTA.
> SEE MORE: 2024 Ligier JS F4 Series Driver Championship Standings
JS F4 will conclude its 2024 season next week at Circuit of The Americas, October 30-November 2. Tickets for the COTA SpeedTour are available now at SpeedTour.net/Austin. Fans at home will be able to stream the races live on SpeedTour.TV.