Tatuus iMagazine

28 by Marco Cortesi While American open-wheel racing seems on a rise in terms of media attention and overall participation, with the purchase of IMS and IndyCar by Roger Penske providing an even brighter outlook, the USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000 championships are the heart and soul of the developmental ladder for young drivers aiming at the world- famous category. With many highly-impressive prospects emerging from the 2019 season, there is even more margin for improvement while the Tatuus-built cars remain a pillar in the growth and establishment of a new generation of racers. This year, both championships delivered plenty of excitement, with spectacular outcomes. Coming from Ohio, Braden Eves provided one of the major surprises of the year in USF2000 after struggling with budget concerns last year. The 20-year-old had a blistering start, winning the first four races of the year between St. Petersburg and Indianapolis. Then, early series favourite Hunter McElrea started his comeback. The 20-year-old New Zealander, who was holding the Mazda scholarship for the season, fought back and reclaimed the point, setting up a last-gasp battle at Laguna Seca. In race 2 at the Californian venue though, Eves did his best when it counted the most, taking a stellar win to seal the deal while McElrea only managed seventh place. Dane Christian Rasmussen, who scored three wins along the way, impressed as well and eventually got the nod on American Colin Kaminsky at the tiebreaker for third place. Laguna Seca brought a good top-5 finish for second-generation racer Eduardo Barrichello, who progressed well throughout the season and is now set for a pivotal year. On the other hand, champion Eves will benefit from the series' scholarship and will move to Indy Pro 2000, making his second foray in the Road To Indy program. After its introduction in 2018, the Tatuus PM-18 car proved fast and reliable in 2019. The series was won by Floridian Kyle Kirkwood who emerged as the star of the year with an exciting late run. Despite a tough start, USF2000 reigning champion Kirkwood posted nine wins in the last 11 races of the year, including seven consecutive ones. Once he stormed back to the lead of the series, Kirkwood held on to prevail by only two points in Laguna Seca. After winning race 1, he got put out of contention by a contact at the start of race 2 while Swede Rasmus Lindh, his closest contender, sailed to victory. Luckily for Kirkwood, at that point, he only needed to see the green flag to mathematically clinch the title. While in USF2000 it was one of the most traditional teams of the series to prevail, Cape Motorsport, helping Kirkwood was Italian squad RP Motorsport, only at its second year in the championship. However, the team title was eventually secured by Juncos Racing, relying on Lindh and fourth- placed Sting Ray Robb, while Canadian Parker Thompson posted third place. Singapore's Danial Frost, who was only 17 at the start of the season, was also able to wrap up two wins in an impressive run. It must be noted that the early USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000 champions of the Tatuus era, Oliver Askew and Rinus Veekay, are set for full-time rides in IndyCar in 2020, but Kirkwood is already standing as one of the hottest properties for 2021 and many eyes are already set on Eves and McElrea. Kyle Kirkwood