Following  almost a seven-month-long hiatus, young Zimbabwean motor racing driver Axcil Jefferies got back behind the wheel in style in his debut appearance in the American Indy Lights racing series at Mid-Ohio, United States, at the weekend. A revitalised Jefferies (19), who partnered with Starting Grid Inc, American Honda and Bryan Herta Autosport Team, drove brilliantly in the weekend's race to take a credible seventh place as he sent a clear message out that he is really one for the future.

 

He was piloting BHA's No.28 Dallara/Firestone, sponsored by Starting Grid Inc. Starting Grid Inc has been the facilitator of a motorsports diversity initiative in partnership with American Honda.

 

At the weekend, Jefferies first qualified in sixth and finally finished the race in seventh place in his American Indy Lights debut and he was satisfied with his overall performance.

 

Speaking from Mid-Ohio yesterday, Jefferies said: "As a team we need to understand the tyres a bit more. Massive thanks to Starting Grid, American Honda and the guys at Bryan Herta Autosport for the opportunity."

 

Jefferies and his technical crew arrived in Mid-Ohio on Thursday and started practising on Friday. He said Friday's practice started off very well, "with us running in P1 for most of the session then finishing off P3". "However, we were using old tyres. On Saturday we bolted on new tyres for qualifying and all of a sudden we were suffering high speed understeer.  So due to the understeer problems we qualified in position six (P6).

 

"On Sunday's race day, I had a decent start but was blocked into the first corner and lost a place. With the car still suffering the tyre problems, I battled during the race and managed to bring the car home in seventh place.