Matheus Leist Tag

The Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires has been nothing short of spectacular this season, with all three ladders – USF2000, Pro Mazda Championship and Indy Lights – showcasing future talent for the Verizon IndyCar Series while also bringing dynamic title battles. This week’s edition features special guest Rob Howden, who joins the cast to discuss the positives and negatives as the end of the 2017 season looms near. What two drivers should move up in the MRTI other than the series champions? Rob Howden, Road to IndyRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — Santiago Urrutia has had a roller coaster of an Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season full of happiness, frustration and every emotion except for victory until Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Urrutia claimed his first Indy Lights victory of the season at the 2.258 mile road course and his fourth at the track in five races, counting his previous starts in Indy Lights and in the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires. Urrutia started onRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Kyle Kaiser had to deal with Colton Herta in front and Santiago Urrutia behind. By Lap 25, neither were a concern for the California native as he went on to win the second Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race on the streets of Toronto, completing a weekend sweep for Juncos Racing. The 45 lap race started with Herta on pole ahead of Urrutia and Kaiser but Kaiser got second at the start. While the leaders were going through Turn 2, NicoRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer After a morning qualifying session that saw the Juncos Racing driver put his car on pole position for that critical bonus point, Kyle Kaiser followed that up with a victory in the first of two races for the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires on the streets of Toronto. Kaiser led from the start and never looked back, building up a gap over Matheus Leist until the Carlin driver nudged his car into the Turn 8 tire barrier on Lap 3, causingRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer NEWTON, Iowa — His second oval race in his career and his second oval win, Matheus Leist made it three Iowa wins in a row for Carlin by winning the Indy Lights 100 on Sunday at Iowa Speedway. The race began with Colton Herta on pole and leading 31 laps. However, Leist was able to get around him after a caution and pulled away. The lone caution came out when one of Leist’s teammates Garth Rickards spun on Lap 27. The cautionRead More

By Road to Indy ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Matheus Leist is on a roll just now in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the final rung on the Mazda Road to Indy open-wheel development ladder. Coming off his maiden victory in the Freedom 100 last month at Indianapolis, the Brazilian rookie qualified on pole for this afternoon’s Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America Presented by Allied Building Products, then led from flag to flag to win handsomely on his first visit to the high-speed 4.014-mile Road America circuitRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — Brazil was represented up front in the first two large pieces of Carb Day, the final day of practice for the 101st Indianapolis 500. The final hour of practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series had several drivers practicing moves they would pull off in the race with passing and being passed. Team Penske was at the top of the speed chart as three time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves was fastest with a lap of 227.377 mph, the onlyRead More

By Road to Indy Matheus Leist led from pole position to checkered flag in today’s Freedom 100 to earn a well-deserved maiden Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victory. But this was no walkover for the Carlin team’s Brazilian rookie, who came under intense pressure from several other contenders during an exciting 40-lap, 100-mile race in front of a bumper crowd on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fellow rookie Aaron Telitz (Belardi Auto Racing) barely edged Canadian Dalton Kellett (Andretti Autosport) for second place on the run toRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer SPEEDWAY, Indiana- Kyle Kaiser had been knocking on the door all season for a victory. Two runner-up finishes at Barber Motorsports Park got the Californian up to second in the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires standings, but a win eluded him until the second race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course where Kaiser took home the victory in dominating fashion. Early in the race, Kaiser had a spirited battle with 2016 series runner up Santiago Urrutia. Urrutia had gotten pastRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer The grid for the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires is starting to come together after the Friday’s confirmations of Matheus Leist and Juan Piedrahita to join the field for Carlin and Team Pelfrey. For Leist, this represents a move back across the pond to race in America after leaving his home of Brazil to race in the UK. The 19-year-old raced in Brazil in the 2014 Formula 3 Light category, finishing second in the championship with two wins and nine podiumsRead More