Who is
Kaylen Frederick

Born on 4 June 2002, Kaylen Frederick began racing cars in 2016 as the youngest open wheel racing driver in the USA SCCA Pro Series.

Racing:

Kaylen began racing in karts at age seven winning his first championship at the local Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia. Six successful years in Karting followed racing in WKA, GLSS, SKUSA, Rotax Max Challenge, and Florida Winter Tours winning championships, races and podiums. Kaylen stepped up to single seater cars at age 13 in 2016 with Team Pelfrey for the Formula Productions F1600 Championship. In pre-season F1600 Winter Series races at PBIR & Sebring during February of 2016, Kaylen collected two pole positions and a 3rd place at Sebring. Once officially licensed at age 14, Kaylen entered the F1600 Series in June mid-way through the championship. Pole positions, podiums, and a win followed quickly. Kaylen also began training in July of 2016 with Rob Wilson at Bruntingthorpe, England, a training that continues in the present.

Racing as the youngest driver in the 2017 Mazda Road to Indy USF 2000 campaign at 14 years of age, Pilot ONE Racing driver Kaylen Frederick routinely impressed in his rookie season and finished 4th in the 2017 USF2K MRTI Championship. In his 1st season in MRTI with 14 races, Kaylen finished with five podiums (two second place finishes and three 3rd-place finishes). Kaylen competed again in the MRTI USF2K series for a 2nd year in 2018, impressing again with notable performances including 5 podiums, and three pole positions.

2019 was a learning year for Kaylen as he tackled the British BRDC F3 car and circuits, tallying two wins, 4 podiums, two poles and three fastest laps. In his first year abroad, 2019 provided a solid foundation to race again in the BRDC F3 series in 2020, now as a seventeen-year-old.

Returning to the BRDC series in 2020, “…the speed Kaylen showed, at times, utterly crushed all within a strengthened field” (December 28, 2020). Wining 9 races, 12 podiums, Most Laps Led (120 – nearest rival was 36), and 12 Fastest Race Laps (of 24 Races), Kaylen emerged as the series Champion, Winner of the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup (8 Pole Positions), and the Jim Clark Trophy (Outstanding BRDC F3 Championship Driver), and the first American driver to win the BRDC Championship.

Kaylen entered the FIA F3 Championship in 2021, however following a crash & resulting injury at the Red Bull Ring, Kaylen missed seven races in the series. The following year in 2022, Kaylen finished in the top 10 in multiple events, however track incidents and car issues limited the championship points, with Kaylen finishing 17th, despite the  strong start in the year:

Best Qualifying: 5th Red Bull Ring  | 7th Silverstone
Best Finishes: 5th Silverstone | 6th Red Bull Ring  | 7th Barcelona & Imola | 8th Sakhir, Bahrain

Kaylen raced in 2023 FIA F3 Series with ART Grand Prix, finishing 21st. Kaylen will race in Superformula Lights with B-Max Racing, the championship team, in Japan in 2024.

Away from the Track:

Kaylen completed high school studies at age 16 (in June 2018) graduating early and with honors, enabling his full-time focus on racing and development. Away from the track, Kaylen applies a strong work ethic, focus and discipline to racing and fitness training. Kaylen is also a gifted slalom, giant slalom, and Super G ski racer, which satisfies his thirst for speed and adrenaline when not racing on asphalt.

Languages | Travels:

Having attended the German School of Washington D.C. for 10 years, Kaylen speaks English and German fluently. Kaylen is a comfortable traveler in North America, Europe, and Asia as the result of two years of extensive travels while building upon his motorsports career.

Kaylen’s current and future educational focus is on industrial and automotive design, areas with strong affiliations to the immersive motorsports environment, race car systems and technologies.

A Look to the Future: Racing

Like many aspiring young drivers, Kaylen’s aim is to reach Formula 1, Indy Car, the Indy 500, Formula E, and to compete for World Championships. Please watch these pages as Kaylen races through series and championships in the US, Europe, and Asia.

We started working with Kaylen at the F1600 level when he was 13 years old, and his ability was extremely evident from his very first test.  Not only has he displayed a huge amount of raw speed, but he has been very impressive in how he interprets feedback and applies it out on the track.  As a result, his technique and development curve are far beyond where I was expecting it to be at this stage.  I firmly believe the future is bright for Kaylen, and we are looking forward to sharing success together in the future.

Jonathan Baker, Director of Team Operations, Team Pelfrey, LLC

Fast Facts

  • Nationality: USA
  • Hometown: Potomac, MD
  • Date of Birth: June 4, 2002
  • Current Series: 2024 Superformula Lights Japan
  • Race Car Number: No. 7 (with ART Grand Prix)
  • Driver Coach: Riki Christodoulou
  • Performance Coach & Fitness Trainer: Louise Keith
  • Racing Licenses: FIA Grade B, SCCA Pro
  • Career Interest: Race in Formula 1, Indy 500, IndyCar, Formula E, Lemans Prototypes
  • Academic Interests: Aerodynamics & Automotive Design
  • Active Sports: Open Wheel Racing/Skiing/Mountain Biking
  • Schools attended: German School of Washington DC, Winston Churchill High School (Potomac, MD)

Favorites

  • Favorite Race Cars: FIA Dallara F3 and F2
  • Favorite Race Car Track: Spa Francorchamps, Belgium
  • Favorite UK Race Car Track: Oulton Park, England
  • Favorite US Race Car Track: Sebring, Florida
  • Favorite Kart Track: Modesto, California (Downtown Street Track/SKUSA Pro Series)
  • Favorite Skier: Ted Ligety

2023 Results

Championship Position: 21st Position
Best Qualifying: 6th Shakhir Bahrain, 9th Red Bull Ring Spielberg, 12th Monaco
Best Finishes: 7th Shakhir Bahrain, 7th Red Bull Ring Spielberg, 10th Melbourne

2022 Results

Championship Position: 17th Position
Best Qualifying: 5th Red Bull Ring  | 7th Silverstone
Best Finishes: 5th Silverstone | 6th Red Bull Ring  | 7th Barcelona & Imola | 8th Sakhir, Bahrain

2021 Results

Championship Position: 22nd
Best Qualifying: Position: P16
Best Finish: P17 Barcelona | P17 Circuit Paul Riccard | P9 Red Bull Ring | P11 Zandvoort | P13 Sochi
7 Races Missed: Injury (Race Incident/Broken Thumb & Subsequent Surgery) and Coronavirus.

2020 Results

2020 BRDC F3 Series Stats:

Champion: 2020 BRDC F3: 9 Wins Total
Winner: 2020 Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup | 8 Pole Positions
Winner: 2020 Jim Clark Trophy (Outstanding BRDC F3 Championship Driver)
Podium Finishes: 12 (9 First Places & 3 Second Places)
Most Races Led:  1st Position (11)
1st Place/Most Laps Led: 120 (next best was 36 by title rival Kush Maini)
1st Place/Fastest Laps: 12 (of 24 Races Total)

2019 Results

2019 BRDC F3 Series Stats:
Championship Position: 9th
Race Wins: 2 (4th Position in Race Wins)
Podium Finishes 4 (6th)
Races Led: 2 (4th Position)
Laps Led: 16 (4th Position)
Fastest Laps: 3rd Position
Pole Positions: 2 (4th Position)
DNF’s: 4
1st Lap Incidents: 6

2018 Results

Euroformula F3/September 22: Monza, Italy: 5th Place Overall & 2nd Place Rookie
SCCA Pro Formula Atlantic Races/Sebring Florida: Four Poles/Two 1st Places
Mazda Road to Indy/USF 2000:
Three Pole Positions, Three 2nd place Finishes, Two 3rd Place Finishes

2017 Results

Mazda Road to Indy/USF 2000:
Five Podiums (Two 2nd place Finishes, Three 3rd Place Finishes)
11 Top 5 Finishes

2016 Results

F1600:
Five Pole Positions/Six Podiums/1 Win

View Race Schedule

My goal for this season is to work step by step to learn each track, adapt to the new car, work with my team to put together a competitive package, and ultimately to win races and fight for the championship title. As someone that is new to the Japanese racing scene, there will be a lot to learn so I am not underestimating the challenge. But the team and I have had a very good start to our partnership and I am excited to see what we can achieve this season.

I haven’t spent much time in Japan but I have really enjoyed the little amount of time I spent there. From what I have heard the Japanese racing fans create the best atmosphere so I am looking forward to seeing what the talk is all about! I have a lot of respect for the Superformula  and Superformula Lights Associations so I am honored to have the opportunity to start my Japanese racing career in the SFL championship. Even though I am not Japanese I still very much appreciate support from fans and spectators, so I look forward to seeing them at the track!”

Kaylen Frederick Comments on his 2024 Superformula Lights Japan Campaign

Stay Up to Date

Please follow Kaylen Frederick through his 2024 race series and learn about the car he drives, the team he works with, and race news and updates!