Pagenaud to Sample Honda Formula F at Las Vegas
SANTA CLARITA, California -- October 3, 2011 – Pacific Formula F Super Series participants will have a chance to test themselves against one of the world’s best all-round racers this weekend at the Las Vegas season finale for the open-wheel racing championship, as Simon Pagenaud joins the series for a one-off appearance aboard the PR1 Motorsports-prepared Piper Honda DF5 Formula F.
In the past year, Pagenaud has sampled a wide variety of HPD racing products, racing everything from a Honda-powered IndyCar in the IZOD IndyCar Series to a Honda Civic Si in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Challenge Series. Last December, Pagenaud took part in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill grassroots endurance race, driving stints in both a Honda CR-Z and Honda B-Spec Fit. At the other end of the endurance sports-car racing spectrum, he also finished second this year at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving for Peugeot, and second at this year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring, driving an HPD ARX-01e prototype for Highcroft Racing in the American Le Mans Series.
“Formula F is going to be a lot of fun, for me and I hope also for the other competitors in the series,” Pagenaud said. “It has been a long time since I have driven a small formula car, and I have never raced on the Las Vegas road course – although I am familiar with the oval track next door! The Piper/Honda is a very modern design, and I think it will be exciting and enjoyable to race it alongside the West Coast series Formula F racers.”
The final Pacific Formula F Super Series event of 2011 takes place October 7-9, with a two-race weekend at the challenging 2.4-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway road course, located adjacent to the 1.5-mile oval speedway. The companion Pacific F2000 Series will also conclude its season with a pair of concurrent races.
Pagenaud will continue to sample and race a variety of HPD performance products through the remainder of the year, including a Rallycross version of the B-Spec Fit, as well as a Hondapowered kart. Videos of Pagenaud’s efforts in assorted HPD machinery can be found posted at: http://www.youtube.com/user/HondaRacingHPDTV#p/u. The goal of Pagenaud’s participation in these events is to help HPD engineers develop better products for members of the Honda Racing Line.
“I really enjoy participating with the HPD engineers in the development of all these cars,” Pagenaud said. “Hopefully, my feedback can help both current and new Honda Formula F drivers. Honda and HPD really have a great range of options for competitors. I think you'll see young drivers come through the Honda system in karts and Formula F to rise into IndyCars and professional sports-car racing."
