Another driver will graduate from the Mazda Road to the IndyCar Series in 2014.
Bryan Herta Autosport announced March 5 that Jack Hawksworth will drive its Honda-powered No. 98 car for the 2014 IndyCar season.
The 23-year-old British driver tested with BHA at Sebring in February. The strength of his pace and feedback, combined with proven success in every junior category in which he has competed, made him a surprise contender for one of the last remaining seats in the IndyCar Championship.
“Quite frankly, Jack really impressed us with a very strong test in Sebring last month,” team co-owner Bryan Herta said. “He has had success at every level he has competed in to date and we believe he has the skills to maintain that going into the IndyCar series. Jack is well aware of the level of competition he is stepping into and we look forward to the season ahead.”
Hawksworth started racing karts at the age of 13 and won the national Gold Cup competition in only his sixth karting race. He continued racing successfully in karts until 2010, when he moved into open wheel racing in the highly-competitive Formula Renault U.K. Winter Series. There, he earned the pole position in every round of the championship, finished third in the championship and was the highest-placed rookie.
In 2011, Hawksworth moved to the United States to begin working his way up the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. He dominated in the 2012 Pro Mazda Championship, breaking the record for most wins, poles and fastest laps in a season. Last year, Hawksworth competed in Indy Lights, winning three races and finishing fourth in the championship.
“I am absolutely delighted to be racing for Bryan Herta Autosport in the 2014 IndyCar Series,” Hawksworth said. “It has been a dream of mine for many years and I can’t wait to get started. We had a great first test in Sebring that has given us a solid foundation on which to build our campaign. There’s a lot of talent and potential in the No. 98 team. I feel very fortunate to be a part of it and look forward to an exciting year ahead. I have to say a big thank you to Bryan, Steve (Newey), the team and everyone involved for putting their trust in me. I can’t wait to get to work.”
(INDYCAR)
