16-year-old Texan wins eight races in 2021 competing in two championships
HOUSTON (Nov. 2021) – Young American Jak Crawford took major steps toward achieving his dream of competing in Formula One in 2021, spending most of the year in Europe successfully competing in two major open-wheel series.
The 2021 journey began in Portimao, Portugal, with the Red Bull Junior Team driver from Houston on the sidelines on the eve of his 16th birthday, unable to practice, qualify or race due to age restrictions. Less than six months later, Crawford stood atop the Euroformula Open podium, winning his second race of the day at the Barcelona finale.
In between, Crawford spent most of his time hustling back and forth from the race tracks to England, staying close to the Red Bull Racing headquarters in Milton Keynes. Crawford did manage a few short visits back home to the U.S. to see his friends and parents, who alternated visits to see their son at selected races.
“I have been away from the USA for most of the last two years pursuing my Formula One dream,” said Crawford. “These two pandemic years in Europe have been tough on me and my Texas family but we are all committed to the same F1 goal along with Red Bull, who I could not do this without.”
Crawford’s main focus in 2021 was in ultra-competitive FIA Formula 3, where he was the youngest driver in the championship. Driving the No. 10 Hitech Dallara Mecachrome, his best finish of the year was second in Race 1 at Spa Francorchamps as the youngest F3 podium finisher in FIA history, after narrowly missing out on a win at Red Bull Ring with a blown motor.
“I really think a top 10 in points was definitely achievable, but me and the team left some points on the table through the year,” Crawford said of his F3 rookie season. “Maybe with some better luck and fewer mistakes I could have done better, but there were a lot of good things that have me looking forward to next year.”
Missing the opening two races of the Euroformula Open campaign, Crawford celebrated his 16th birthday to wrap up the Portimao weekend starting from the back of the grid. Despite missing an additional two rounds (six races) due to FIA F3 schedule conflicts, his results still powered him to third in the season championship, within striking distance of second.
Crawford won eight of his 16 races in his No. 52 Team Motopark Dallara, winning two of the three races in four of his five full weekends. He won the pole in four out of five qualifying attempts, and scored 12 fastest race laps. Eight of the races won by the drivers ahead of him in the championship points occurred at events Crawford could not attend.
“I will be returning to F3 in 2021 and will also be racing in another winter series, so with my new team and with Red Bull I will be expected to compete for a championship in F3,” Crawford says. “Staying put in the F3 category also gives me a year to catch up to the current age requirements for F2 and F1 since I have been too young at the beginning of each season.”
Crawford has a lot of off-season racing activities and a few weeks of downtime planned over the next few months before the official F3 season starts but he always looks forward to a little time in the USA. With big ambition heading into the new year, the American youngster lays out his long-term plans.
“The path for me is two years in F3, one year in F2 and hopefully the pinnacle of motorsports the following year,” Crawford said. “My goal is be in F1 when I am 18 years old, as the youngest American ever. I cannot control what other Americans older than me are able to do over the next two years, but this is our plan for me.”
