Zach Fourie Scores First F4 U.S. Win in CTMP Race 1

Zach Fourie scored his first-career win in Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) on Saturday morning. After five runner-up and three third-place finishes this season, the South African racer broke through to secure not only his first F4 U.S. win, but his first victory in a single-seater racecar of any kind.

Notes of Interest:

• Zach Fourie scored his first-career F4 U.S. win taking the checkered flag in the opening race of the weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
• Points leader Gastón Irazú scored his 10th podium of the 2026 season, finishing second on Saturday morning.
• Racing in his home province, Ontarian Cole Medeiros finished third to score his fifth podium of the season.
• Canadian Luca Day took the checkered flag fifth in his first formula car race in his home country.
• Kiwi Motorsport won with Zach Fourie behind the wheel. One of the team’s co-owners, Teena Larsen, was born and raised in the greater Toronto area and began her racing career at CTMP.

Gastón Irazú (No. 27 Elia Group / Baly / Canal 4 / Ancap / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F422) started on pole, but as soon as the green flag waved, second-place starter Zach Fourie (No. 15 The Lekker Network / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) looked to take the lead. Making a pass in Turn 8, Fourie pulled ahead to pace the field, while Irazú stayed close and looked for the right moment to retake the position. Three laps later, he found it going into Turn 8. Setting himself up to have the preferred line in Turn 9, Irazù completed a textbook overtake.

Fourie faced pressure from third-place starter and Kiwi Motorsport teammate, Caleb Campbell (No. 68 Steele Auto Group / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422). Campbell, however, had pressure of his own with Cole Medeiros (No. 77 Firano Motorsports / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) filling his mirrors. Medeiros was the first to gain a position, passing Campbell and keeping him behind for the remainder of the event.

The race had just passed its halfway point when the full-course caution was briefly displayed to allow for cleanup from an incident involving Fernando Rivera (No. 16 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) and Ayden Kohut (No. 18 The Builders Source / The Genie Company / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422). With Irazú’s advantage erased, the field bunched up one last time to give Fourie another chance at the leader. Pulling to Irazú’s inside in Turn 1, Fourie maintained the pressure and stayed side by side all the way through Turn 3. With the preferred line, Fourie completed the pass and took the lead.

As they crossed the finish line, Fourie led Irazú, Medeiros, Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Luca Day (No. 54 Zimperium / Momentum Motorsports Ligier JS F422).

> > SEE MORE: Round 12 Official Results

“I’m honestly lost for words,” said Fourie as he climbed out of the car. “I can’t believe it. The team gave me a fantastic car. The plan was to be patient, but the tires fired on so quickly. [Gastón] had a great start and got past me, and then I had Cole [Medeiros] in my mirrors. So, I was just like, ‘try to save the tires and we’ll see what happens at the end.’ Then the safety car came, and I knew I had to try and capitalize. I can’t thank the team enough—I’m lost for words.”

> > REPLAY THE STREAM: Stream Round 12 from CTMP

-Photo credit: Gavin Baker Photography