Talented Hawke's Bay driver Ronan Murphy is poised for a stint in the United States-based Formula 4 Championship.
"The Formula 4 Championship is looking like the best option for me to pursue going forward in 2020 which could then lead onto other USA based Championships. The F4 cars are great to drive with paddle shift, slick tyres along with a bit of downforce and the perfect stepping stone from what I'm in now up to the next categories in future seasons," Murphy said after he spent last week testing at the Buttonwillow Raceway in California.
"Once Dad [New Zealand motor racing legend and four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy] and I have had a chance to discuss it further and he gets some time with Garry [Orton] and Teena [Larsen] from Kiwi Motorsport when they are here in New Zealand later this month, we'll be in a position to lock away a plan," Murphy explained.
The 18-year-old former Napier Boys' High School student pointed out he had an awesome week at Buttonwillow Raceway. It was his second taste of F4 testing in the States after one in April at Motorsport Ranch, a private test track in Cresson, Texas.
"I managed to log around 200 laps over the two days and posted some strong and I believe competitive times, which will be a big factor in evaluating my plans for next year," Murphy said.