Luis Leeds on Indonesia trip: "I will be a Formula One champion"

Australian Formula 4 Champion Luis Leeds has returned from a tour of Indonesia, telling Highway F1 that he traveled there to drum up support for his Formula One tilt.

Leeds met with the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Imam Nahrawi, as well as several other “very important” people, to secure support for progression to Formula One.

He told Highway F1, “my team and I went to Indonesia with the intention of informing the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs that there is an Australia/Indonesian with the ambition of racing in Formula One in the near future.”

“We wanted to express our concerns with the lack of support the current Australian Formula 4 Champion is receiving not only financially but with corporate, public and political relationships.”

Leeds reflected on the lack of support he has received since being dropped as a Red Bull Junior Driver:

“I've been working my ass off the last 4 years ever since I was dropped from the Red Bull program to build some support and there has only been a very small handful of people that have actually been willing to get me off the ground and give me the support I need to help me have any chance of being the next Formula One champion.”

“It's really challenging to accept mentally that when I was away racing with Red Bull so many people from all these sectors wanted to support me and be my friend, but once I lost that relationship there has been barely anyone willing to get me back into the Formula One industry.”

Leeds, who attended primary school in Indonesia, holds dual-citizenship of Australia and Indonesia.

He said he had received an enormous amount of support from local fans:

“It was such an incredible experience, in such a short period of time I received so much support not only from a financial perspective but also with the public, the beautiful people of Indonesia actually made me feel at home instantly, my social media blew up with so many great messages.”

“It made me realise that my ambition to reach Formula One is something that is shared with the public, it's not just my journey, it's ours.”

Leeds told Highway F1 that he considers the trip a success. He is yet to announce his plans for 2020.