Benjamin Pedersen and Global Racing Group with HMD Motorsports testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway earlier this off-season (Photo Courtesy of Global Racing Group with HMD Motorsports)

By Steve Wittich

Global Racing Group announced their entry into the 2021 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires one month ago. Today, the team racing under the Global Racing Group with HMD Motorsports tent announces that Benjamin Pedersen will be their first driver.

The 21-year-old has spent the past five seasons racing in both the United States and Europe and is excited to make a move to the Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires.

“I am looking forward to a new season and the new challenge that lies ahead,” said Pedersen enthusiastically. “I completed my first two-day test at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in November and am now testing at Sebring International Raceway as well to become comfortable with the car, new surroundings, new team members and everything that comes with entering a new series. We have several more tests planned within the coming months, and I will be working hard to ensure that I am 100% ready to go for the start of the season.”

Pedersen spent the 2020 season in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, winning once at the Silverstone Circuit and standing on the podium three times in the last three events of the season. The Dane also contested race in the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered By Honda and Euroforumla Open series.

Pedersen’s 2019 season was a split F3 Americas Championship / BRDC British Formula 3 Championship. Despite missing six races, Pedersen finished second in the F3 Americas Championship, winning seven times in ten starts. Pedersen won once and finished on the podium twice in his partial British Formula 3 season.

Pedersen began his racing career in 2016, contesting the inaugural F4 United States Championship Powered By Honda season with Leading Edge Grand Prix. He remained in the series for the next two seasons, winning five times, starting on pole four times, setting four fastest race laps, and standing on ten podiums on the way to fourth and fifth place championship finishes.

“Benjamin has come up to speed pretty quickly in an Indy Lights car, and I think time between now and season start will only see continued steps forward” said Team Manager AJ Smith. “He is definitely talented and while almost every track on the calendar will be new to him, I am confident in the team that we have built around him to ensure success.”

Steve’s thoughts

  • Pedersen joins the Andretti Autosport duo of Kyle Kirkwood and Danial Frost along with Andretti Steinbrenner Racing’s Devlin DeFrancesco as drivers officially confirmed for the 2021 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season.
  • Pedersen is an intriguing addition to the Indy Lights field. He has been a winner in five straight seasons of junior open-wheel action.
  • Watching how Pedersen adapts to the Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires will be something TSO Ladder is watching. The Dane is the second driver to matriculate through the F4 United States Championship/Formula Regional Americas Championship to join Indy Lights. Kyle Kirkwood is the other driver, but the 2019 Indy Pro 2000 champ is no stranger to the Road To Indy.
  • The two seasons of BRDC British Formula 3 Championship action will serve him well. Recent (in the last five seasons) Indy Lights race winners Toby Sowery, Matheus Leist, Ed Jones, Felix Serralles, Jack Harvey, and Max Chilton, are all graduates of ‘British F3.’
  • TSO Ladder expects a few more driver announcements before the end of 2020. Please stay tuned to this space.