Issues cut the 17-year-olds weekend short, but do not dampen his positive outlook going into the first races of the season

The new Mazda-powered Tatuus PM-18, introduced for this year’s Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires continued to impress this weekend as 15 drivers completed a total of 1610 laps during two days of Spring Training road course testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Rafael Martins was a standout rookie with TRS Arden in the 2016 F4 British Championship, winning at Oulton Park and tallying two podium finishes during the season. The 19-year-old comes to the United States for the first time, seeking to become a professional race car driver via the Mazda Road to Indy and Team Pelfrey.

Young Canadian talent to make formula car debut at St. Petersburg

A new season of competition in the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires is almost set to commence. All three rungs on the world’s premier open-wheel development ladder – the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires – will be in action beginning Friday, February 23, for the annual Spring Training open test which will take place over four days at Homestead-Miami Speedway in South Florida.