Indianapolis, Ind. – Team Pelfrey is thrilled to announce Julian van der Watt has signed with the team for the 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.

“Julian came over and tested with us in October, his first outing in a USF2000 car, and we immediately saw why he dominated the South African F1600 Championship,” stated Team Pelfrey General Manager Jonny Baker. “Not only was he fast, but his consistency and work ethic were all on display for us to see.  Julian’s decision to move to the Mazda Road to Indy is fantastic news for Team Pelfrey and the series and we are looking forward to seeing how he gets on throughout the 2018 season.”

Cape Town, South Africa native van der Watt has made the transition to race on the first step of the Mazda Road to Indy after winning numerous South African Championships. Van der Watt was most recently crowned 2017 South African F1600 Champion where he collected 13 wins from 14 races.

“I am really excited about racing in the 2018 USF2000 Championship,” noted van der Watt, “especially with a top team such as Team Pelfrey. We will be working hard throughout the year to ensure we are battling for the top step of the podium.”

With 10 championships, 96 race wins and 206 podiums, Team Pelfrey is one of the most successful junior open-wheel teams in North America. The 20-year-old rookie will make his first start with the #PelfreyPower squad at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where the team secured its first USF2000 victory in 2017, on March 9-11. Visit PelfreyPower.com for more updates throughout the off-season or visit @TeamPelfrey on social media.