| Matheus Leist | |
|---|---|
Leist at the 2018 ABC Supply 500
| |
| Nationality |  Brazil |
| Born | Matheus Tobias Leist (1998-09-08) 8 September 1998 (age 25) Novo Hamburgo, Brazil |
| WeatherTech SportsCar Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2020 |
| Current team | JDC-Miller MotorSports |
| Racing licence |  FIA Gold |
| Starts | 5 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Best finish | 11th in 2020 |
| Previous series | |
| 2018–2019 2017 2016 2015-16 2015 2014 | IndyCar Series Indy Lights BRDC British Formula 3 Championship MRF Challenge MSA Formula Brazilian Formula Three Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 2016 | BRDC British Formula 3 Championship |
Matheus Tobias Leist (born September 8, 1998)[1] is a Brazilian racing driver who last raced for JDC-Miller MotorSports in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Leist began karting in 2009 at the age of eleven. In 2013, he finished as runner-up in the Petrobras Karting Championship.
In 2014, Leist graduated to single-seaters, racing in the B class of the Brazilian F3 Championship, finishing runner-up to Vitor Baptista.
The following year, Leist switched to MSA Formula in Britain with Double R Racing. He scored two victories and finished fifth in the standings.
In 2016, Leist reunited with Double R Racing and graduated to BRDC British F3. Scoring four wins, two poles and six fastest laps, Leist took the title at the final round after a close fight with Ricky Collard throughout the season.[2]
In November 2016, it was announced Leist would partake in the GP3 post-season test at Yas Marina with ART Grand Prix, Arden International and Trident Racing.[3]
In February 2017, Leist signed with Carlin for the Indy Lights Championship.[4] During his first season, Leist picked up his first podium at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis before taking pole and winning the Freedom 100 less than two weeks later, having led from start to finish.[5]
In November 2017, A.J. Foyt Enterprises announced that the team hired Leist to drive the No. 4 Chevrolet in 2018.[6] Leist partners veteran Brazilian driver Tony Kanaan and made his IndyCar debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11, 2018. Leist completed two full seasons of IndyCar with Foyt, with a best finish of fourth at the 2019 IndyCar Grand Prix. He was replaced at Foyt with Charlie Kimball for 2020.[7]
Leist joined JDC–Miller MotorSports for the Endurance Cup rounds of the 2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship plus the Laguna Seca round.[8] Following a best finish of fourth in the season-ending 12 Hours of Sebring, JDC-Miller downsized to one car for the 2021 season leaving Leist without a drive.[9]
Leist's younger brother Arthur is also a racing driver, currently competing in Stock Car Brasil.[10][11]
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Fórmula 3 Brasil - Class B | Hitech Racing | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 115 | 2nd |
| 2015 | MSA Formula Championship | Double R Racing | 30 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 273 | 5th |
| FIA Formula 3 European Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41st | ||
| 2015-16 | MRF Challenge Formula 2000 | MRF Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 14th |
| 2016 | BRDC British Formula 3 Championship | Double R Racing | 24 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 493 | 1st |
| 2017 | Indy Lights | Carlin | 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 279 | 4th |
| 2018 | IndyCar Series | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 253 | 18th |
| 2019 | IndyCar Series | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 261 | 19th |
| 2020 | IMSA Sports Car Championship - DPi | JDC-Miller MotorSports | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 123 | 11th |
| 2024 | GT4 America Series - Pro-Am | RENNtech Motorsport | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 49* | 4th* |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Carlin | STP 15 |
STP 11 |
ALA 4 |
ALA 7 |
IMS 5 |
IMS 3 |
INDY 1 |
RDA 1 |
RDA 4 |
IOW 1 |
TOR 13 |
TOR 5 |
MDO 11 |
MDO 10 |
GMP 10 |
WGL 4 |
4th | 279 |
(key)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Dallara DW12 | 4 | Chevrolet | STP 24 |
PHX 19 |
LBH 14 |
ALA 12 |
IMS 21 |
INDY 13 |
DET 15 |
DET 14 |
TXS 22 |
RDA 15 |
IOW 22 |
TOR 15 |
MDO 19 |
POC 11 |
GTW 16 |
POR 14 |
SNM 19 |
18th | 253 | [12] |
| 2019 | STP 22 |
COA 17 |
ALA 20 |
LBH 15 |
IMS 4 |
INDY 15 |
DET 21 |
DET 20 |
TXS 22 |
RDA 20 |
TOR 19 |
IOW 16 |
MDO 18 |
POC 14 |
GTW 17 |
POR 8 |
LAG 17 |
19th | 261 | [13] |
* Season still in progress.
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dallara | Chevrolet | 11 | 13 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises |
| 2019 | Dallara | Chevrolet | 24 | 15 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | DPi | Cadillac DPi-V.R | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | DAY 5 |
DAY | SEB | ELK | ATL 8 |
MDO | PET 8 |
LGA 8 |
SEB 4 |
11th | 123 |
Matheus Leist career summary at DriverDB.com
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by
Will Palmer |
BRDC British Formula 3 Championship Champion 2016 |
Succeeded by |
