CHARLOTTE (September 22, 2024) – Ryan Shehan, the 2023 Vice Champion in Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), is set to make his European racing debut next weekend at Italy’s famed Mugello Circuit. Piloting a Ligier JS2 R in the Ligier European Series GT category, Shehan will team up with Sita Vanmeert in the No. 86 for Les Deux Arbres.
“I’m looking forward to my first-ever experience in a GT car,” said Shehan before taking off for Europe. “Up until now, I’ve only driven single seaters, so it will be a really cool opportunity to try something new and I’ll be looking to learn as much as I can. The Mugello Circuit looks incredible and I’ve heard some great things about it from the people around me. Massive thanks to Ligier Automotive for making this happen. I hope I can make the F4 U.S. and FR Americas paddock proud.”
The two-race weekend will allow Shehan to gain his first sports car experience. Two 40-minute practice sessions will enable the 19-year-old Texan to get acclimated to the car before heading out for qualifying. Each one-hour endurance race will include a pit stop and driver change, as Shehan shares the seat with series-regular Vanmeert. Both races will be contested on Saturday, September 28, with Race 1 scheduled at 9 a.m. Central European Summer Time (3 a.m. ET) and Race 2 at 1:30 p.m. CEST (7:30 a.m. ET). Each race will bestreamed live on the Ligier European Series’ digital platforms.
“We’re thrilled to see Ryan take this next step in his career,” said Scott Goodyear, Race Director for FR Americas. “It wouldn’t be possible without Ligier Automotive—they have been a great partner to our championship, and a staunch supporter of our drivers. Graduates of FR Americas and F4 U.S. have gone on to compete in INDYCAR, IMSA, FIA Formula 3, the Indianapolis 500 and even NASCAR—we’re excited to see where Ryan’s journey goes from here.”
While Patrick Woods-Toth has secured the 2024 FR Americas Drivers’ Championship, the vice champion and third-place champion will be decided when FR Americas returns to the track for its season finale at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Scheduled for October 31-November 3, tickets for the COTA SpeedTour are available now at SpeedTour.net/Austin.