The Formula Pro USA Championship Presented by Exclusive Racing kicked off this past weekend as the first victories of 2025 were earned. Taking place at Sonoma Raceway, Zach Fourie earned a pair of Formula Pro USA F4 race wins while James Lawley climbed to the top of the F3 podium twice. Additionally, Nicolas Stati set the fastest-ever race lap at Sonoma in an F3 with an official 1:30.692, beating the 1:30.8 benchmark that was set a few seasons ago.
“A great turnout and an excellent start to our 2025 season,” explained Formula Pro USA’s BD Morgan. “We welcomed both new and returning drivers and teams to Sonoma Raceway this past weekend and had a great show. Congrats to our winners and to every competitor. Thank you for your support!”
Racing out of the Jensen Global Advisors program, Fourie went two-for-two taking both race wins over the weekend. Showing his pace, Fourie also scored both of the races’ fastest laps and managed to score maximum points on the weekend. World Speed Motorsports put a pair of drivers on the podium on Saturday with Ridgely Welsh crossing the line in second, just ahead of Chris DeFreitas in third. Yashim Kapoor was the best of the rest in fourth, just ahead of Carolyn Fitzgerald who rounded out the top-five. Ana Palestro, and other Jensen Global Advisors driver, earned experience in wheel-to-wheel racing to finish sixth on the day.
Sunday saw Fourie take the win again as Welsh followed suit in the second position. The third step on the podium changed as Kapoor earned his first podium finish of the season with Fitzgerald in fourth, improving one position from the day prior. DeFreitas and Palestro finished fifth and sixth, respectively, to close their first weekend in the Formula Pro USA program.
In the F3 side of the program, three drivers battled at the front of the field all weekend long. Securing identical positions on Saturday and Sunday, the Atlantic Racing Team swept the top-two positions of the podium with Lawley and Nicolas Stati. Stati set the fastest race laps on both days and earned two points in each race for his efforts to leave the first weekend only ten points in arrears of Lawley. World Speed Motorsports Larry Schnur joined Lawly and Stati on the podium, finishing third in back-to-back races.
Morgan added, “While our first event is now in the rearview mirror, the second event weekend is just a few weeks away. We look forward to some more wheel-to-wheel racing in April at Thunderhill Raceway Park.”
April 4-6 – Thunderhill Raceway Park
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Schedule for the Remainder of the Formula Pro USA Western Championship
April 4-6 – Thunderhill Raceway Park
June 27-29 – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
September 12-14 – Sonoma Raceway
October 23-25 – Thunderhill Raceway Park
November 14-16 – Buttonwillow Raceway
Photos: Exclusive Racing
