Program Trains Racers and New Drivers; First Classes Slated for March
It’s an unprecedented opportunity for today’s up-and-coming race car drivers and driving enthusiasts, many of whom have long dreamed of training in a state-of-the-art, brand new open-wheel formula race car.
The Bondurant High Performance Driving School has officially launched its new Formula 4 open-wheel race car training program, giving drivers and auto enthusiasts the opportunity to train in a competitive, modern and state-of-the-art single-seat, open-wheel car. As the official school of the F4 U.S. Championship, drivers will train in exactly the same trimmed Honda-powered Ligier JS F4 car as competitors use in the national FIA-supported championship.
The only school in the nation to offer this type of equipment package powered by Honda, the Bondurant F4 U.S. School begins scheduling courses in March. Automotive enthusiasts and drivers have multiple course options to participate in to get behind the wheel of the Ligier JS F4 racecar. Classes are open to anyone with the desire to further their skills as a competitive driver, for those seeking an SCCA Pro Racing License, or for enthusiasts who have dreamed of driving a true open-wheel race car.
As the Official High-Performance Driving School of Dodge SRT, adding this program to Bondurant’s incredible fleet of nearly 100 Dodge SRT Vehicles, including Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat models, the 840-horsepower Challenger SRT Demon – the industry’s first and only street-legal production drag car and most powerful muscle car ever – was a natural fit.
“We are very excited to begin our partnership with Bondurant High Performance Driving School,” said Ligier Automotive North America Chief Executive Officer Max Crawford. “Since we initiated the F4 U.S. Championships in 2016, it has always been a goal of ours to have a program with a driving school.” 
Crawford also noted that Bondurant’s long-standing emphasis on safety and superior instructional performance helped encourage the partnership.
“The F4 U.S. Championship has now grown to become the largest average F4 fields in the world,” Crawford said. “It’s extremely important that drivers that do have the desire to compete in the championships show up well-prepared. A school that teaches the same championship curriculum in the same Honda-powered Ligier JS F4 racecar, can only be a huge benefit for drivers. Bondurant’s strong reputation and quality instruction made perfect sense for us and we welcome them on board.”
Bondurant also has a longstanding partnership with Sports Car Club of America, and now with the new SCCA Pro Racing relationship, the school has the ability to award SCCA PRO Racing licenses to F4 U.S. graduates of the class who have met all the required performance standards.
“For over 50 years, the Bondurant School has utilized open-wheel formula race cars in our training programs. Never before have we had the opportunity to bring brand new state-of-the-art open wheel racecars and equipment into our advanced programs,” said Bondurant Chief Instructor Mike McGovern. This investment, as well as the relationships derived from it, is a direct result of new ownership and their long-term vision and commitment to the school and the industry.”
SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. and F3 Americas Race Director Scott Goodyear noted just how much of a role race schools play in preparing up-and-coming drivers for success on the modern racing circuit.
"The best way to launch your racing career is to start with proper training and learn the art of driving a race car along with the rules and regulations of motor racing,” Goodyear said. “The information a driver receives from sitting in the cockpit of a school race car sets the tone for their success in the first season of car racing. All the top drivers around the world started their career behind the wheel of a school race car to accelerate their learning curve before entering competition. I can recall my first time in a race car, a three-day racing school driving a Formula 1600. It was a huge advantage over my competitors.”
Goodyear also expressed excitement about the fact that young drivers now have an opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of F4 U.S. racing right here on American soil.
“As Race Director for the F4 United States Championship, I'm ecstatic that our young drivers now have a dedicated F4 U.S. School to attend here in the United States to learn the craft of driving an F4 race car,” he said. “The Bondurant School has long been the top school for up and coming drivers, and their commitment and focus on the F4 U.S. Championship Series is going to produce race-ready drivers to enter our Championship."
For more about the Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving and its new official Bondurant F4 U.S. school, visit Bondurant online.
