WITH 2 PODIUMS AND A POLE POSITION ARTHUR LEIST RECEIVED THE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER TROPHY IN HIS DEBUT YEAR IN F4 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP
With two podiums, one pole position and a top-10 finish in the championship, Brazilian young talent, Arthur Leist received the “Catherine Crawford Most Improved Driver” prize during the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda end of season banquet. Competing in one of the strongest entry-level categories in the world, Leist finished his debut open-wheel season ninth in overall points race.
"If the year started at COTA, we certainly would fight for the title," said Leist, who was in the podium in Pittsburgh and New Jersey. "We started to have good pace from the third round and there I always managed to be in the top-five. It shows that we will be very strong for 2019."
In addition to the custom carbon-fiber trophy, the rookie received a $5,000 cash award to be used in his next season in the United States.
"I was very happy with this award, it shows that we are on the right path to continue growing as a racing driver," Leist continued.
The award was given to the racing driver who was most evolved in results during the season. The Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport driver went from 21st to fifth in standings in the second half of the championship. 
"At the beginning of 2018, I was only able to do a preseason test and it was still with another team, soI arrived without enough experience. I practically used the first two rounds to get mileage and to know the car. Then we evolved a lot from there," said Leist who had the best placement of the three Brazilians in the lineup.
In the championship finale at the Formula 1 U.S. G.P., Leist had good pace, finishing in the top-seven in both weekend races. Leist had a special coach in the box, Matheus Leist, his brother, who currently races for AJ Foyt Team in Indycar.
"We had a good pace throughout the weekend, but a lack of luck to achieve a good result in this final races. We started very well with P6 during the free practice and the car was good in the wet as well as in the dry. The red flag was waved on my best lap and it ruined my qualifying, I started in 16th at the grid for the race 1, when I was already in seventh, I had an electric problem in the car. Race 2 I started in 12th place but was racing in sixth after some passes when unfortunately my teammate spun in front of me and to avoid an accident I have to go out of the track, losing a lot of positions and getting out of the points zone," said the Cimed sponsored driver.
