Honda 200 Winner Alexander Rossi Shakes Down F3 Americas Car At Pitt Race

Alexander Rossi shakes down F3 car

Joseph Bierschbach

Fresh from his maiden Honda 200 win, Andretti Autosport driver Alexander Rossi attended the first F3 Americas Championship Powered by Honda test day at Pittsburgh International Race Complex on Monday, July 30. Rossi tested the F3 Americas car at the newly FIA accredited 2.8-mile circuit to provide valuable insights and feedback on the car’s performance and setup for race teams eager to get their cars on track for the Championship’s world debut on Friday.

“This car is a true slicks and wings race car," Rossi said. “It’s a very stiff car. It’s a car that rewards commitment, and all of those things apply to the upper echelons of racing. It’s a great race car for any driver wanting to end up anywhere in racing."

Equipped with a 270-horsepower Honda Civic Type-R turbocharged K20C1 motor, Rossi pushed the JS F3 car around the 19-turn track for a full 30-minute session.

“Right away I was very impressed," Rossi continued. “The sound of the Honda Type R was amazing. What surprised me was you’re hearing the wastegate all the time open and close, but there wasn’t a lot of turbo lag, so they’ve done a great job on the implementations of the racecar, and fundamentally, it’s a very strong start."

F3 Americas was designed to be the next domestic step from its very successful counterpart, the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda. It continues the evolution of affordable, competitive and technologically advanced open wheel racing that was established by F4 U.S. in 2016. The F3 Americas Championship aligns with the global FIA development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success.

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Joseph Bierschbach

“There’s not one clear path in racing like there is in ball sports," said Rossi, who worked his way through the European-ladder series, eventually competing in F1 before making the move back to the states to IndyCar. “There’s so many different avenues and ways to get to the highest level in racing and there is no one right way. There is definitely a structure that is needed. Honda has that vision and its very encouraging, not only for them as a company, but for motor racing in general."

Rossi is the second Honda-supported IndyCar driver to pilot the new F3 Americas car. Last month, his Andretti Autosport teammate Zach Veach debuted the car on American soil at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, demoing the car to fans, young drivers and teams.

The test coincided with the last official F4 U.S. and F3 Americas practice before the inaugural Keystone Speedfest, a mixed sports car and open-wheel weekend with the two Championships, the Trans Am Series and Formula Race Promotions, Aug. 3-5 at PITT Race.

About F3 Americas Championship:

The F3 Americas Championship Powered by Honda continues the evolution of affordable, competitive and technologically advanced open wheel racing that was established by the successful Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda that debuted in 2016. This next level of open wheel racing meets the demands of racers and teams looking to grow their capabilities into more sophisticated and powerful machinery. The F3 Americas Championship aligns with the global FIA development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable, and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success.

F3 Americas 2018 Event Schedule: