Matheus Leist

Matheus Tobias Leist (born September 8, 1998)[1] is a Brazilian racing driver who last raced for JDC-Miller MotorSports in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Matheus Leist
Leist at the 2018 ABC Supply 500
Nationality Brazil
BornMatheus Tobias Leist
(1998-09-08) 8 September 1998 (age 25)
Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship career
Debut season2020
Current teamJDC-Miller MotorSports
Racing licence FIA Gold
Starts5
Wins0
Poles0
Best finish11th in 2020
Previous series
20182019
2017
2016
2015-16
2015
2014
IndyCar Series
Indy Lights
BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
MRF Challenge
MSA Formula
Brazilian Formula Three Championship
Championship titles
2016BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
Matheus Leist, winner of the 2017 Freedom 100

Career edit

Karting edit

Leist began karting in 2009 at the age of eleven. In 2013, he finished as runner-up in the Petrobras Karting Championship.

Lower formulas edit

In 2014, Leist graduated to single-seaters, racing in the B class of the Brazilian F3 Championship, finishing runner-up to Vitor Baptista.

The following year, Leist switched to MSA Formula in Britain with Double R Racing. He scored two victories and finished fifth in the standings.

British F3 edit

In 2016, Leist reunited with Double R Racing and graduated to BRDC British F3. Scoring four wins, two poles and six fastest laps, Leist took the title at the final round after a close fight with Ricky Collard throughout the season.[2]

GP3 Series edit

In November 2016, it was announced Leist would partake in the GP3 post-season test at Yas Marina with ART Grand Prix, Arden International and Trident Racing.[3]

Indy Lights edit

In February 2017, Leist signed with Carlin for the Indy Lights Championship.[4] During his first season, Leist picked up his first podium at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis before taking pole and winning the Freedom 100 less than two weeks later, having led from start to finish.[5]

IndyCar Series edit

In November 2017, A.J. Foyt Enterprises announced that the team hired Leist to drive the No. 4 Chevrolet in 2018.[6] Leist partners veteran Brazilian driver Tony Kanaan and made his IndyCar debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11, 2018. Leist completed two full seasons of IndyCar with Foyt, with a best finish of fourth at the 2019 IndyCar Grand Prix. He was replaced at Foyt with Charlie Kimball for 2020.[7]

IMSA edit

Leist joined JDC–Miller MotorSports for the Endurance Cup rounds of the 2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship plus the Laguna Seca round.[8] Following a best finish of fourth in the season-ending 12 Hours of Sebring, JDC-Miller downsized to one car for the 2021 season leaving Leist without a drive.[9]

Personal life edit

Leist's younger brother Arthur is also a racing driver, currently competing in Stock Car Brasil.[10][11]

Racing record edit

Career summary edit

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2014Fórmula 3 Brasil - Class BHitech Racing1620091152nd
2015MSA Formula ChampionshipDouble R Racing3021172735th
FIA Formula 3 European Championship30000041st
2015-16MRF Challenge Formula 2000MRF Racing200002014th
2016BRDC British Formula 3 ChampionshipDouble R Racing24426114931st
2017Indy LightsCarlin1632142794th
2018IndyCar SeriesA. J. Foyt Enterprises17000025318th
2019IndyCar SeriesA. J. Foyt Enterprises17000026119th
2020IMSA Sports Car Championship - DPiJDC-Miller MotorSports5000012311th
2024GT4 America Series - Pro-AmRENNtech Motorsport4100149*4th*

American open-wheel racing edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Indy Lights edit

YearTeam12345678910111213141516RankPoints
2017CarlinSTP
15
STP
11
ALA
4
ALA
7
IMS
5
IMS
3
INDY
1
RDA
1
RDA
4
IOW
1
TOR
13
TOR
5
MDO
11
MDO
10
GMP
10
WGL
4
4th279

IndyCar Series edit

(key)

YearTeamChassisNo.Engine1234567891011121314151617RankPointsRef
2018A. J. Foyt EnterprisesDallara DW124ChevroletSTP
24
PHX
19
LBH
14
ALA
12
IMS
21
INDY
13
DET
15
DET
14
TXS
22
RDA
15
IOW
22
TOR
15
MDO
19
POC
11
GTW
16
POR
14
SNM
19
18th253[12]
2019STP
22
COA
17
ALA
20
LBH
15
IMS
4
INDY
15
DET
21
DET
20
TXS
22
RDA
20
TOR
19
IOW
16
MDO
18
POC
14
GTW
17
POR
8
LAG
17
19th261[13]

* Season still in progress.

Indianapolis 500 edit

YearChassisEngineStartFinishTeam
2018DallaraChevrolet1113A. J. Foyt Enterprises
2019DallaraChevrolet2415A. J. Foyt Enterprises

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamClassChassisEngine123456789RankPoints
2020JDC-Miller MotorSportsDPiCadillac DPi-V.RCadillac 5.5 L V8DAY
5
DAYSEBELKATL
8
MDOPET
8
LGA
8
SEB
4
11th123

References edit

  1. ^ "Matheus Leist". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
  2. ^ Cozens, Jack (September 11, 2016). "British F3 championship won by Matheus Leist at Donington finale". Autosport. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  3. ^ "Matheus Leist participa de testes com a GP3 em Abu Dhabi (Matheus Leist participates in testing with GP3 in Abu Dhabi)". November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  4. ^ "Leist joins Carlin for Indy Lights". February 3, 2017. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  5. ^ Straw, Edd (May 26, 2017). "Indy Lights Freedom 100: Matheus Leist wins Indianapolis showpiece". Autosport. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  6. ^ Racing, By Marshall Pruett / Image courtesy of A.J. Foyt. "Foyt team confirms Leist to partner Kanaan". www.racer.com. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
  7. ^ "Kimball Joins AJ Foyt Racing for 2020 Season". Motorsport Tribune. 22 January 2020.
  8. ^ "IndyCar runner Matheus Leist makes IMSA switch for 2020 season". Motorsport Week. 14 December 2019.
  9. ^ Dagys, John (November 18, 2020). "Duval Set for Full-Season Drive in JDC-Miller Cadillac DPi". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  10. ^ "Two Leists may be better than one in INDYCAR ... someday". IndyCar Series. 28 October 2018.
  11. ^ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing anuncia Arthur Leist na Stock Car 2024" (in Portuguese). Stock Car Pro Series. 2 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Matheus Leist – 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  13. ^ "Matheus Leist – 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.

External links edit

Matheus Leist career summary at DriverDB.com

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Will Palmer
(British F4 champion)
BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
Champion

2016
Succeeded by