More diversity in single-seaters with the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship in F4 and F4 Americas
Ligier Automotive, which is known for sports prototypes and more recently for its GT, the Ligier JS2 R, is also heavily involved in single-seaters with its Ligier JS F4s and JS F3s. Through its American subsidiary, Ligier Automotive North America, Ligier Automotive has already sold almost 130 Ligier JS F4s and Ligier JS F3s to the American F3 and F4 Championships, the F4 US Championship and the FR Americas, and also to driving schools like the Bondurant High Performance Driving School, the leading F4 driving school in the United States.
In 2021, Tony Parella, the new promoter of the F4 and FR Americas series, is launching the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship whose aim is to favour diversity at the base of the single-seater pyramid. The finalists (one in F4 and the other in F4 Americas) will each have a free entry for the season, a petrol allocation from Sunoco Racing Fuel and a voucher for spare parts worth $1500 from Ligier Automotive North America.
The wave of enthusiasm for this scholarship has been such a success that a third driver, the F4 semi-finalist, will be given a free entry for the season.
Chloé Chambers, a young 16-year-old driver from New York, won the full F4 scholarship. Chloé has been racing karts since she was eight and she can count on coaches and advisors to accompany her on her debut in single-seater racing, in particular the double Indianapolis 500 winner, Al Unser Jr. and Sarah Fisher, co-associate of SFHR Development and former IndyCar driver. Chloé will drive the red white and blue Ligier JS F4 bearing the #8 run by new team, Future Star Racing, created by Mark and Alora McAlister whose aim is to back drivers who have talent enough to race, but don't have the budget required to enable them to progress in their sporting career. To find out more CLICK HERE.
Emily Linscott from Essex in England finished as a semi-finalist and has obtained an entry for the season in the US F4 Championship. She is joining the only outfit owned by a woman, Kiwi Motorsport, and will drive the team's #99 Ligier JS F4. She will be coached by Pippa Mann who has raced in the Indianapolis 500 seven times. To find out more CLICK HERE.
Ernie Francis Jr. from Southwest Ranches in Florida has won the FR Americas Championship Scholarship. Aged just 23 Ernie has already racked up an impressive set of results with 46 victories and 47 pole positions as well as seven consecutive titles in the ultra-competitive TransAm Series presented by Pirelli. He will make his single-seater debut in the #98 Ligier JS F3 and will be coached by Willy T. Ribbs, the first Afro-American driver to have taken part in the Indianapolis 500 and to have tested a Formula 1 car. To find out more CLICK HERE.
For more information about the Ligier JS F4, CLICK HERE.
For more information about the F4 U.S. Championship, CLICK HERE.
For more information about the Ligier JS F3, CLICK HERE.
For more information about the FR Americas, CLICK HERE.
Photo Credit: Gavin Baker