AVONDALE, La. (March 29, 2025) – Gastón Irazú rebounded from a grid penalty to earn his first-career Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) victory in his series debut during the season-opening race at NOLA Motorsports Park. After setting the second-quickest time in qualifying, Irazú (No. 42 Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) rolled off seventh for the first race of the year after receiving a grid penalty for a tire infraction during official practice. Proving his strength in overcoming challenges, the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship recipient powered through, easily claiming the victory in Race 1.
Notes of Interest:
- Uruguay native Gastón Irazú drove to his first-career win during the 2025 season opener at NOLA Motorsports Park.
- Irazú’s victory also marked the first win for Champagne Racing, who first joined the Ligier JFC grid during the 2024 season finale at Circuit of The Americas.
- Daniel Cará earned his first Ligier JFC podium; the Texan previously raced the Ligier JFC chassis during the 2023 season when it was still utilized in F4 U.S. competition.
- Harbir Dass earned his third-career podium in Ligier JFC competition. He finished eighth in the standings last year and returns this season to chase the F4 U.S. scholarship, which is awarded to the championship-winning driver.
- Irazú and Dass are both members of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship 2025 class. In total, there are five drivers on the Ligier JFC grid that are receiving assistance from the scholarship program.
The drama started before the lights went out, as pole sitter Daniel Cará (No. 10 Tenuta Foppa & Ambrosi Wines/WorkHub Ligier JS F4) had a false start followed by a stall. The field scurried around him with third-place starter Harbir Dass (No. 23 Northcoast Medical Group / Dass Psych LLC/Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) jumping out to the early lead. His Berg Racing teammate, Drew Szuch (No. 28 Berg Racing Ligier JS F4), filed in behind him after both drivers overtook second-place starter Augusto Paschetta (No. 27 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4). Szuch pulled up next to Dass entering Turn 1 and completed the pass to overtake the top spot just before a full-course caution slowed the field.
A restart a few laps later once again gave Dass a shot at overtaking Szuch—something he was successful at as Szuch drove wide through a turn. Behind them, seventh-place starter Irazú was also climbing through the field. Pulling up to battle with Cará and Paschetta, Irazú used the restart lap to move all the way up to third before turning his focus to the Berg Racing teammates, Szuch and Dass. The race was just passing its halfway point as Szuch hit a bump, jarring his car and knocking the engine cover loose. In a perfect storm scenario, the cover hit the car’s master switch and shut off power to Szuch’s vehicle. With Szuch slowing on the circuit, Irazú easily pulled in to second.
With Irazú closing in on Dass, the two raced side by side for a bit, before the Uruguayan ultimately completed the pass entering Turn 13 with just under 10 minutes left on the clock and never looked back. A few minutes later, polesitter Cará was also able to make his way around Dass as they raced through Turn 1, and from there, it was clear sailing to the finish line for each of the top three.
Taking the checkered flag, Irazú led Cará and Dass. Paschetta finished fourth and Cash Felber (No. 11 Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) earned his first-career top-five finish.
READ MORE: Race 1 Official Results
“It was a very great race,” said Irazú after climbing from the car. “I’m very happy for the win today. We had a penalty yesterday, but we proved that we can win. I have to thank my father and my Champagne Racing team.”