Daytona Beach, Fla. – It has been, and will continue to be, a busy autumn for 17-year-old driver Max Mällinen. Winning his second US Majors National Championship and charging through the field at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway in September only for his race to be cut short. The back-to-back SCCA Majors title winner is next headed to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) to test in a USF2000 car to prepare for the 2016 season.
Mällinen’s return trip to the SCCA National Championship Runoffs ended early, after moving from eighth to third on the opening lap of the race in the Swan Motorsports Spectrum/Honda.
“I really enjoyed racing at Daytona. It’s a shame the race ended early though, as we were definitely the fastest car there,” said Mällinen, who was awarded the SCCA Majors title for the second straight year in Formula F, having taken eight straight wins all over the country during the course of the summer racing season.
It was the second visit for Mällinen to the annual year-end winner-take all Formula F race, which is based on accumulating points in nationwide SCCA events during the year.
In 2014, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Mällinen showed his pace as well, leading and running at the front for the middle portion of the 40-minute race.
“Daytona is a great combination of shear speed of the car on the oval and skill as a driver with the tight infield. The team and I worked throughout the week looking for speed and trimming out the car. We had a great package for the race,” said Mällinen.
The Sunday afternoon race would be one of the highlights of the week-long Championship event, which saw teams get plenty of practice and qualifying time as they made Daytona their home for the better part of eight days.
With the green flag in the air on the opening lap, Mällinen showed the pace that netted him win after win in the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour this summer. He raced the black Spectrum from eighth on the grid to third before a full course caution brought the field under control and set up a restart.
“I had a good start, picking up nearly five positions in turn four, and continued attacking to pass for third directly before the caution flew. I had the pace to win,” said Mällinen.
Coming to the single file restart Mällinen got a run on second place Jeremy Grenier, who he also dueled extensively with last year, and challenged for the position. That would be the curtain call however, as room ran out and the two touched, ending the days of both drivers and any chance at a Runoffs victory.
“I have a had a great F1600 season winning another US title. Now, I am now firmly focused on my 2016 season in USF2000. I feel extremely comfortable in the Swan Motorsports car. I am looking forward to the test at COTA and beginning another winning season,” said Mällinen.
Mällinen begins his 2016 USF2000 season, testing at the Circuit of the Americas, Nov. 21-22 in Austin, Texas, as one of 38 drivers from 11 nations. They converge in preparation for 2016 Mazda Road to Indy season who meet next on the Streets of Saint Petersburg, Florida, March 11-13.