Photo: Gavin Baker Photography
Velocity Racing Development’s Nico Christodoulou will switch from USF2000 to USF Pro 2000 for the rest of the year.
The 19-year-old Canadian is currently 11th in the USF2000 standings. He won at NOLA Motorsports Park, but missed last weekend’s Freedom 75 race at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Christodoulou already has experience of the next level up on the IndyCar support bill, having driven in a USFP2000 test at Mid-Ohio earlier this month. He also has experience of larger cars from almost two seasons in GB3 and races in Formula Regional Americas.
“I’m gutted to step away from USF2000,” said Christodoulou. “We had a super fast car and a genuine chance at the championship, but circumstances out of my control have brought about this new opportunity and I’m looking forward to the new challenge.
“VRD is my racing family, and I want to show what I’m capable of and help them bring home both championships.”
Dan Mitchell, team boss of VRD, said Christodoulou has “shown outstanding speed in the USFP2000 car every time he’s driven it” and that “it’s a shame to see him step away from USF2000, but Nikita [Johnson will be grateful to have a team-mate, and I expect Nico to play a key part in our championship fight for the remainder of the season”.
Nikita Johnson has won four of the first nine races in USFP2000 this season for VRD, and comfortably leads the points despite a disqualification and retiring from the most recent race.
The next USFP2000 round is at Road America on June 6-9.