Gastón Irazú continued his strong run by securing pole position and controlling Race 1 for his third consecutive victory. However, championship leader Caleb Campbell responded in Race 2, climbing from fourth to first to record his fourth win of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Zach Fourie and Cole Medeiros featured prominently throughout the weekend. Fourie led Practice before earning two top-four finishes, while Medeiros reached the podium in Race 1 before a post-race penalty removed him from third in Race 2.
2026 F4 U.S. Practice: Fourie leads close opening session
Fourie established the early benchmark for Kiwi Motorsport during Friday’s official Practice session.
The South African recorded a 1:24.716 around the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio circuit. However, Irazú finished only 0.053 seconds behind him for Champagne Racing.
Medeiros placed third with a 1:25.074, while Clemente Huerta took fourth. The Chilean finished 0.420 seconds behind Fourie as he continued his push towards a first podium of the season.
Luca Day completed the top five for Momentum Motorsports, ahead of Campbell and Fernando Rivera. Austin Kaszuba, Ayden Kohut, Zain Khan and Ben Ramirez completed the 11-driver classification.
Practice results
- Zach Fourie – 1:24.716
- Gastón Irazú – 1:24.769
- Cole Medeiros – 1:25.074
- Clemente Huerta – 1:25.136
- Luca Day – 1:25.370
- Caleb Campbell – 1:25.465
- Fernando Rivera – 1:25.765
- Austin Kaszuba – 1:26.099
- Ayden Kohut – 1:26.493
- Zain Khan – 1:27.857
- Ben Ramirez – 1:28.507
2026 F4 U.S. Qualifying: Irazú secures consecutive poles
Irazú carried his Road America momentum into Qualifying and produced a 1:23.901 to secure his second consecutive pole position.
Medeiros originally recorded the second-fastest time with a 1:24.042. However, the stewards handed him a five-place grid penalty after he failed to respect a red flag.
Therefore, Campbell inherited a place on the front row after qualifying third. Huerta and Rivera occupied the second row, while Fourie started fifth.
Day qualified sixth, with the penalised Medeiros dropping to seventh. Kaszuba secured eighth after the stewards deleted his fastest lap for causing the suspension of the session.
Kohut, Ramirez and Khan completed the starting order.
Qualifying results
- Gastón Irazú – 1:23.901
- Caleb Campbell – 1:24.092
- Clemente Huerta – 1:24.217
- Fernando Rivera – 1:24.248
- Zach Fourie – 1:24.326
- Luca Day – 1:24.994
- Cole Medeiros – 1:24.042
- Austin Kaszuba – 1:25.427
- Ayden Kohut – 1:25.596
- Ben Ramirez – 1:25.699
- Zain Khan – 1:26.779
Grid penalties:
- Medeiros received a five-place grid penalty for failing to respect the red flag.
- The stewards deleted Kaszuba’s fastest lap after he caused the suspension of the session.
2026 F4 U.S. Race 1: Irazú completes third consecutive victory
Irazú maintained the lead when Race 1 began, although Campbell immediately challenged him from the outside of the front row. The Uruguayan resisted that early pressure and began to establish a gap through a sequence of consistent laps. By the halfway point, he had built an advantage of approximately two seconds.
However, a full-course caution erased that margin and brought Campbell back into contention. Irazú controlled the restart and quickly moved clear again. He ultimately completed all 18 laps at the front and crossed the line 1.806 seconds ahead of Campbell.
The victory marked Irazú’s third consecutive triumph following his double success at Road America. It also continued his impressive first F4 U.S. season after he won the 2025 Ligier Junior Formula Championship and progressed with support from the Champion’s Scholarship.
Medeiros charges from seventh to the podium
Behind the leading pair, Medeiros produced one of the strongest recovery drives of the race. The MLT Motorsports driver started seventh following his Qualifying penalty but climbed into third before the race reached its halfway point.
Medeiros closed on Campbell during the final stages but could not find a way past the Canadian. Nevertheless, third place equalled his best F4 U.S. result and delivered his second podium of the season.
Fourie followed in fourth, while Huerta converted third on the grid into fifth at the finish. Kaszuba climbed from eighth to sixth on his first F4 U.S. appearance since competing in the championship’s inaugural Mid-Ohio event in 2016. Kohut finished seventh, ahead of Day, Ramirez and Khan. Rivera retired after completing 10 laps.
Irazú praises Champagne Racing
Irazú credited Champagne Racing after extending his winning sequence.
“I’m really proud of my team,” said Irazú on the top step of the podium. “They gave me a really great car, so this win is for them. It feels really great. I want to thank my team, all my sponsors, my dad, my mom, my sister, my girlfriend, and all the people who give me the chance to compete.”
The result moved Irazú closer to Campbell in the championship, although the Canadian maintained his advantage by recording his sixth podium from the opening six races.
Race 1 results
- Gastón Irazú – 18 laps
- Caleb Campbell – +1.806
- Cole Medeiros – +2.247
- Zach Fourie – +3.304
- Clemente Huerta – +3.895
- Austin Kaszuba – +6.087
- Ayden Kohut – +7.452
- Luca Day – +8.001
- Ben Ramirez – +10.149
- Zain Khan – +15.575
- Fernando Rivera – NC, 10 laps
Fastest lap: Gastón Irazú – 1:24.593
Winning margin: 1.806 seconds
2026 F4 U.S. Race 2: Campbell attacks from fourth
Irazú started Race 2 from pole after recording the fastest lap during the opening contest. Kaszuba joined him on the front row, while Medeiros and Campbell occupied third and fourth.
The field immediately spread three-wide as the drivers attacked Turn 1. Contact followed, leaving a car stranded on the circuit and forcing officials to deploy the Safety Car. Irazú maintained the lead through the opening sequence, while Campbell jumped from fourth to second.
When racing resumed, Campbell stayed close to the Champagne Racing driver. He then used the restart to attack and completed the move for first place on lap six.
Once ahead, Campbell began to create a gap. Although Irazú remained within striking distance, the Kiwi Motorsport driver controlled the remainder of the race and secured victory by 2.973 seconds.
Fourie fights back through the field
Medeiros initially settled into third behind Campbell and Irazú. Meanwhile, Fourie dropped to sixth during the opening exchanges. The South African began his recovery by passing Rivera and Huerta before closing onto the rear of Medeiros.
However, the battle between Medeiros and Fourie became increasingly contentious. Officials received multiple reports that Medeiros had blocked Fourie during their fight for third.
Medeiros crossed the line in the final podium position, with Fourie behind him. Nevertheless, the stewards reviewed the incidents after the race.
They ruled that Medeiros had used dangerous blocking, forced Fourie off the circuit and contributed to a spin which cost the Kiwi Motorsport driver positions. Consequently, they moved Medeiros to the final classified position and promoted Fourie to third.
Medeiros will also start Race 1 at New Jersey Motorsports Park from the pit lane and serve a three-place grid penalty for Race 2.
Kohut records career-best result
The revised classification promoted Kohut to fourth, giving the Kiwi Motorsport rookie his strongest F4 U.S. result. Rivera finished fifth for Crosslink Motorsports, while Huerta took sixth for Speed Factory.
Day crossed the line seventh and recorded the second-fastest lap of the race, only 0.039 seconds slower than Campbell’s benchmark.
Khan secured eighth during his and USNG Racing’s debut weekend. Medeiros’s penalty promoted him ahead of the Canadian in the final classification. Cole Medeiros dropped to ninth, while Ramirez and Kaszuba failed to finish after completing seven laps.
Campbell enjoys aggressive victory
Campbell welcomed the close competition after returning to the top step for the first time since the opening round at NOLA Motorsports Park.
“Gastón [Irazú] was right on me and this was the craziest race I’ve had so far this year—but it was the most fun too,” said Campbell atop the podium. “[Going three-wide into Turn 1] was a bit sketchy. I had a good start and moved up to second after starting fourth, so I can’t complain. It worked out well for me. I’d like to thank my team Kiwi Motorsport—the car set up was really good this whole weekend—as well as my sponsors, the Steele Auto Group and everyone that supports me.
“Thank you to my family, friends, and everyone that came out and watched this weekend.”
The victory marked Campbell’s fourth win of the season. Moreover, his first and second-place finishes allowed him to increase his Drivers’ Championship lead.
Race 2
- Caleb Campbell – 18 laps
- Gastón Irazú – +2.973
- Zach Fourie – +3.011
- Ayden Kohut – +15.176
- Fernando Rivera – +20.229
- Clemente Huerta – +20.641
- Luca Day – +23.537
- Zain Khan – +50.971
- Cole Medeiros – +1:01.327
- Ben Ramirez – NC, seven laps
- Austin Kaszuba – NC, seven laps
Fastest lap: Caleb Campbell – 1:25.147
Winning margin: 2.973 seconds
Penalty: Medeiros moved to the final classified position following multiple incidents of dangerous blocking.
Kiwi Motorsport converts confidence into victory
Kiwi Motorsport entered Mid-Ohio targeting further success across the F4 U.S., FR Americas and Ligier Junior Formula Championship categories. The team had already demonstrated its F4 U.S. strength through Campbell’s championship lead and Fourie’s consistent podium finishes. However, Mid-Ohio provided another opportunity to convert that pace into a victory.
Campbell delivered that result in Race 2, while Fourie added fourth and third-place finishes. Kohut also recorded seventh and fourth, ensuring that all three Kiwi drivers scored significant points during the weekend.
Irazú and Champagne Racing nevertheless remained their closest challengers. The reigning Ligier Junior Formula champion claimed pole, victory and second place to continue his rapid rise through the North American development ladder.
2026 F4 U.S. Standings after Round 3 at Mid-Ohio
Campbell entered Mid-Ohio with 108 points after winning all three races at NOLA and recording second and third at Road America. His second place in Race 1 and victory in Race 2 added 43 points to his total. Therefore, he leaves Mid-Ohio at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with 151 points.
However, Irazú continued to close the gap. His victory and second-place finish delivered another 43-point weekend, moving him from 80 to 123 points. The Champagne Racing rookie climbed ahead of Fourie and now trails Campbell by 28 points.
Fourie remains firmly in contention
Fourie added 27 points with fourth place in Race 1 and third in Race 2. The Kiwi Motorsport driver now holds 114 points and sits third in the championship. He trails teammate Campbell by 37 points and Irazú by nine.
Fourie has yet to win a race in 2026, but his consistent scoring has kept him firmly involved in the title contest. He has also helped Kiwi Motorsport establish a commanding lead in the Teams’ Championship.
Medeiros maintains fourth despite penalty
Medeiros added 17 points to his championship total at Mid-Ohio. His Race 1 podium earned 15 points, while his ninth-place classification in Race 2 added two more. Consequently, he remains fourth with 56 points.
Huerta sits only two points behind him after recording fifth and sixth-place finishes. The Speed Factory driver collected 18 points at Mid-Ohio and increased his total to 54.
Day and Kohut gain ground
Day scored in both races, adding 10 points to move onto 42. However, Kohut made the larger gain during the weekend. He followed seventh place in Race 1 with a career-best fourth in Race 2, earning 18 points and moving onto 40.
Rivera also scored 10 points through fifth place in Race 2. He now holds 36 points and sits level with his total before the weekend plus the Mid-Ohio gain.
Robert Soroka did not compete at Mid-Ohio but remains inside the top 10 with the 28 points he earned during the opening round.
Drivers’ Standings after Round 3
- Caleb Campbell — Kiwi Motorsport — 151 points
- Gastón Irazú (R) — Champagne Racing — 123
- Zach Fourie (R) — Kiwi Motorsport — 114
- Cole Medeiros (R) — MLT Motorsports — 56
- Clemente Huerta — Speed Factory — 54
- Luca Day (R) — Momentum Motorsports — 42
- Ayden Kohut (R) — Kiwi Motorsport — 40
- Fernando Rivera (R) — Crosslink Motorsports — 36
- Robert Soroka — VMax Motorsport — 28
- Ben Ramirez (R) — RASE Motorsports — 16
- Austin Kaszuba — Crosslink Motorsports — 8
- Zain Khan (R) — USNG Racing — 5
Kiwi Motorsport extends its Teams’ Championship lead
Kiwi Motorsport entered Mid-Ohio with 195 points after Campbell and Fourie recorded double podium finishes at Road America.
Campbell and Fourie supplied the team’s two highest scores in both Mid-Ohio races. They combined for 30 points in Race 1 before taking first and third in Race 2 for another 40. As a result, Kiwi added 70 points and increased its total to 265.
Champagne Racing remains second after Irazú added 43 points. However, with only one driver contributing to its score, the team now sits 142 points behind Kiwi.
MLT Motorsport remains third with 56 points, while Speed Factory follows only two points behind.
Crosslink Motorsports gained ground through Kaszuba’s sixth place in Race 1 and Rivera’s fifth in Race 2. The team now holds 44 points and moves ahead of Momentum Motorsports.
Teams’ Standings after Round 3
- Kiwi Motorsport — 265 points
- Champagne Racing — 123
- MLT Motorsports — 56
- Speed Factory — 54
- Crosslink Motorsports — 44
- Momentum Motorsports — 42
- VMax Motorsport — 28
- RASE Motorsports — 16
- USNG Racing — 5
Each team scores the points earned by its two highest-finishing drivers in each race.
Conclusion
Campbell and Irazú emerged as the leading performers from Round 3. Irazú controlled Race 1 to complete three consecutive victories, while Campbell responded with a decisive pass in Race 2 and retained his 28-point championship advantage.
Fourie maintained his consistent campaign and collected another podium. Meanwhile, Medeiros showed strong pace, although his Race 2 penalty overshadowed his Race 1 recovery drive.
Kiwi Motorsport also converted its pace into a commanding Teams’ Championship lead after Campbell, Fourie and Kohut all scored significant points.
The F4 U.S. Championship will return at New Jersey Motorsports Park from 31 July to 2 August. Campbell will arrive as the championship leader, but Irazú’s recent form ensures that the title contest remains open
