Nikita Johnson

Last updated
Nikita Johnson
Nikita Johnson USF Pro 2000 Mid Ohio.jpg
Johnson at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2024
Nationality Flag of the United States.svg American
BornNikita Johnson
(2008-05-25) May 25, 2008 (age 16)
Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States
USF Pro 2000 Championship career
Debut season 2023
Current teamVelocity Racing Development
Car number17
Starts5 (5 entries)
Wins2
Podiums4
Poles0
Fastest laps2
Best finish17th in 2023
Previous series
202223
2022
2022
USF2000 Championship
USF Juniors
YACademy Winter Series
Championship titles
2022YACademy Winter Series

Nikita Johnson (born May 25, 2008) is an American racing driver who is currently set to compete in the 2025 GB3 Championship for Hitech Pulse-Eight. He was the 2024 USF Pro 2000 runner-up, driving for Velocity Racing Development. [1] [2]

Contents

Career

USF2000 Championship

2023

On October 6, 2022, it was announced that Johnson would compete full-time in the 2023 USF2000 Championship driving for Velocity Racing Development. [3] This was after a campaign in the USF Juniors series where he finished 3rd overall after taking 3 wins, an additional 7 podiums, 2 poles and 352 points.

USF Pro 2000 Championship

2023

On August 21, 2023, Johnson announced that he would make his USF Pro 2000 Championship debut at the Circuit of the Americas driving for Velocity Racing Development. [4] He would compete in rounds 14-18.

In race 1 at COTA, he would finish on the podium behind fellow USF Pro 2000 debutant Mac Clark and race winner Kiko Porto. In race 2, Johnson started third behind Clark and Porto. He managed to get past Clark in the opening laps and closed the gap to Porto. On lap 7, Johnson battled with Porto for the lead and Johnson emerged victorious. He extended his gap to Porto to over 17 seconds by races end to win the race. Johnson not only became the youngest race winner in the history of the USF Pro 2000 Championship at age 15, but he also became the first driver to win on all three levels of the USF Pro Championships ladder. [5]

At the final round of the season at Portland International Raceway, Johnson qualified seven tenths of a second off pole position. [6] In the final race of the season, Johnson lined up second alongside Michael d'Orlando. Johnson would take the lead of the race going into the first corner. The race was hectic with multiple safety cars and on-track incidents. After the final restart on lap 23, the race would remain green for the final seven laps, and Johnson would go on to win his second race in only five starts. [7]

2024

On November 30, 2023, it was announced that Johnson would compete full-time in the 2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship driving for Velocity Racing Development. [2] In 2024, Johnson would take 8 wins, another 2 podium finishes, 7 pole positions and 355 points to finish 2nd place in the overall standings.

GB3 Championship

2024

On February 21, 2024, Johnson announced that he would be participating in the 2024 GB3 Championship driving for VRD Racing by Arden. However, he only began the GB3 season from round three since he had to sit out the first two rounds because he was still only 15 years old at the time, and the minimum age requirement for GB3 is 16. [8]

2025

Johnson is set to contest his first full season of GB3 in 2025, moving over to Hitech Pulse-Eight. [9]

Formula Regional

2025

At the start of 2025, Johnson will compete in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship with M2 Competition. [10]

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2022YACademy Winter SeriesVelocity Racing Development631351031st
USF Juniors 16325103523rd
USF2000 Championship 800118518th
2023 USF2000 Championship Velocity Racing Development1812283442nd
USF Pro 2000 Championship 5202411817th
2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship Velocity Racing Development18878103552nd
GB3 Championship VRD Racing by Arden 18201219311th
2025 Formula Regional Oceania Championship M2 Competition 000000TBD
GB3 Championship Hitech Pulse-Eight 000000TBD

* Season still in progress.

American open–wheel racing results

USF2000 Championship

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718RankPoints
2022 Velocity Racing Development STP
1

STP
2

ALA
1

ALA
2

IMS
1

IMS
2

IMS
3

IRP
ROA
1

19
ROA
2

8
MOH
1

16
MOH
2

4
MOH
3

8
TOR
1

TOR
2

POR
1

2
POR
2

17
POR
3

18
18th85
2023 Velocity Racing Development STP
1

3
STP
2

1*
SEB
1

16
SEB
1

8
IMS
1

3*
IMS
2

3
IMS
3

2
IRP
5
ROA
1

3
ROA
2

5
MOH
1

5
MOH
2

4
MOH
3

2
TOR
1

7*
TOR
2

18
POR
1

4
POR
2

3
POR
3

7
2nd344

USF Pro 2000 Championship

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718RankPoints
2023 Velocity Racing Development STP
1

STP
2

SEB
1

SEB
2

IMS
1

IMS
2

IRP
ROA
1

ROA
2

MOH
1

MOH
2

TOR
1

TOR
2

COTA
1

3
COTA
1

1*
POR
1

14
POR
2

2
POR
3

1*
17th118
2024 Velocity Racing Development STP
1

4
STP
2

1
LOU
1

2
LOU
2

1
LOU
3

1*
IMS
1

1*
IMS
2

DSQ
IMS
3

2*
IRP
17
ROA
1

7
ROA
2

13
ROA
3

6
MOH
1

1*
MOH
2

1*
TOR
1

17
TOR
2

12
POR
1

1*
POR
2

1*
2nd355

Complete GB3 Championship results

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

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718192021222324DCPoints
2024 VRD by Arden OUL
1

OUL
2

OUL
3

SIL1
1

SIL1
2

SIL1
3

SPA
1

9
SPA
2

Ret
SPA
3

Ret
HUN
1

16
HUN
2

12
HUN
3

118
ZAN
1

9
ZAN
2

6
ZAN
3

11
SIL2
1

10
SIL2
2

14
SIL2
3

94
DON
1

14
DON
2

12
DON
3

115
BRH
1

6
BRH
2

9
BRH
3

1
11th193
2025 Hitech Pulse-Eight SIL1
1

SIL1
2

SIL1
3

ZAN
1

ZAN
2

ZAN
3

SPA
1

SPA
2

SPA
3

HUN
1

HUN
2

HUN
3

SIL2
1

SIL2
2

SIL2
3

BRH
1

BRH
2

BRH
3

DON
1

DON
2

DON
3

MNZ
1

MNZ
2

MNZ
3

TBDTBD

Complete Formula Regional Oceania Championship Results

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

YearTeam123456789101112131415DCPoints
2025 M2 Competition TAU
1

4
TAU
2

5
TAU
3

5
HMP
1

HMP
2

HMP
3

MAN
1

MAN
2

MAN
3

TER
1

TER
2

TER
3

HIG
1

HIG
2

HIG
3

4th*58*

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References

  1. "Driver: Nikita Johnson". 28 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Johnson Returns to USF Pro 2000 for Championship Assault with VRD Racing". www.usfpro2000.com. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  3. Wood, Ida (2022-10-06). "VRD brings 14-year-old Nikita Johnson into USF2000 full-time for 2023". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  4. "Johnson to Make USF Pro 2000 Debut with VRD Racing at COTA". www.usfpro2000.com. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  5. "Johnson becomes youngest winner in USF Pro 2000 on debut at COTA". RACER. 2023-08-27. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  6. Wood, Ida (2023-09-01). "D'Orlando pips Johnson to Portland pole in USF Pro 2000". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  7. Wood, Ida (2023-09-04). "Nikita Johnson gets his second win from five USF Pro 2000 starts". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  8. "Nikita Johnson to Make European Debut in the GB3 Championship for 2024 // Infinity Sports Management". www.infinitysportsmanagement.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  9. Wood, Ida (2 October 2024). "Nikita Johnson leaves VRD to join Hitech for second season in GB3". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  10. Wood, Ida (19 December 2024). "Nikita Johnson leads latest batch of FRegional Oceania signings". Formula Scout. Retrieved 19 December 2024.