Zachary Claman DeMelo
NationalityCanada Canadian
Born (1998-04-20) April 20, 1998
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Indy Lights career
Debut season2016
Racing licence FIA Silver
Former teamsJuncos Racing
Carlin Motorsport
Belardi Auto Racing
Starts38
Wins2
Poles1
Fastest laps6
Best finish5th in 2017
Previous series
2017-2018
2015
2014		IndyCar Series
MotorSport Vision Formula Three Cup
Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup

Zachary Claman DeMelo (born April 20, 1998) is a Canadian professional race car driver from Montreal, Quebec. He has competed in Formula Renault 2.0, the IndyCar Series and other open-wheel series, most recently competing for Belardi Auto Racing in Indy Lights in 2019.

Racing career

Karting and lower formula

Claman DeMelo driving a Formula Renault 2.0 at Monza.

Claman DeMelo began competing in various regional and national karting events in 2008. In 2010, at the age of 12, he clinched his first Canadian National Karting Championship as well as his first Eastern Canadian Karting Championship. By the age of 16, he had won 3 Canadian National Karting Championships, 5 consecutive Eastern Canadian National Championships, and earned a 3rd-place finish at the Rotax Karting World Championships.[1] Claman DeMelo made his car racing debut in the 2014–15 Formula Skip Barber winter series, where he won two of the four races.

In 2015, Claman DeMelo moved to Europe and participated in a handful of races in several Formula Renault 2.0 series, including Formula Renault 2.0 NEC, Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, and Formula Renault 2.0 Alps. From there, he moved on to the Invitational class of the MSV F3 Cup, where he claimed a win in all 8 races he drove in.[2]

Indy Lights

In 2016, he entered Indy Lights as the youngest driver on the grid (at 17 years old) with defending championship team Juncos Racing.[3] In his rookie campaign, Claman DeMelo put up 9 finishes in the top 10 and 3 finishes in the top 5.[4] In 2017, Claman DeMelo raced for the 2016 defending championship team, Carlin Motorsport.[5] He captured his first series win at Road America and captured a pair of podium finishes in Toronto. He finished fifth in points, just four points behind teammate Matheus Leist in fourth.

Unable to secure a full-time ride in the NTT IndyCar Series, Claman DeMelo chose to return to Indy Lights for the 2019 season, this time with Belardi Auto Racing.[6] After winning the season-opening round at St. Petersburg, the season went south for the team, and budget issues ended Claman DeMelo's season before the Freedom 100.[7]

Claman DeMelo driving for Dale Coyne Racing at the 2018 Indianapolis 500

IndyCar Series

In July 2016, Claman DeMelo participated in an IndyCar Series test with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.[8] He made his IndyCar debut in the 2017 season finale at Sonoma Raceway with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.[9]

In February 2018, Claman DeMelo was named a part-time driver of the No. 19 Paysafe Honda for Dale Coyne Racing in the 2018 IndyCar Series.[10]

Personal life

One of Claman DeMelo's grandmothers spent time in a Nazi concentration camp. She was freed on a Friday the 13th, and the tattoo numbers added up to 13. He has used number 13 on his racecars during most of his career.[11]

In 2016, Claman DeMelo and his sister launched a shoe brand called ZCD Montreal.

In 2023, Claman DeMelo was assaulted by ice hockey player Daniel Sprong at a nightclub during the Detroit Grand Prix weekend.[12]

Racing record

American open-wheel racing results

Indy Lights

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Rank Points
2016 Juncos Racing STP
11		 STP
16		 PHX
11		 ALA
5		 ALA
7		 IMS
13		 IMS
14		 INDY
13		 RDA
5		 RDA
4		 IOW
8		 TOR
13		 TOR
13		 MDO
7		 MDO
7		 WGL
9		 LAG
12		 LAG
7		 9th 199
2017 Carlin STP
8		 STP
7		 ALA
5		 ALA
14		 IMS
2		 IMS
11		 INDY
6		 RDA
10		 RDA
1		 IOW
6		 TOR
2		 TOR
3		 MDO
5		 MDO
4		 GMP
6		 WGL
6		 5th 274
2019 Belardi Auto Racing STP
1		 STP
2		 COA
7		 COA
10		 IMS
5		 IMS
2		 INDY
 RDA
 RDA
 TOR
 TOR
 MDO
 MDO
 GTW
 POR
 POR
 LAG
 LAG
 10th 124

IndyCar Series

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
2017 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara DW12 13 Honda STP LBH ALA PHX IMS INDY DET DET TXS ROA IOW TOR MDO POC GTW WGL SNM
17		 31st 26 [13]
2018 Dale Coyne Racing 19 STP
17		 PHX
 LBH
23		 ALA
19		 IMS
12		 INDY
19		 DET
 DET
 TXS
17		 ROA
21		 IOW
18		 TOR
14		 MDO
 POC
 GTW
 POR
 SNM
 23rd 122 [14]

* Season still in progress.

Indianapolis 500

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2018 Dallara Honda 13 19 Dale Coyne Racing

References

  1. ↑ Schindel, Cody. RMCGF Team Canada Driver Preview: Zachary Claman DeMelo, Canadian Karting News, November 9, 2014, Retrieved 2015-12-15
  2. ↑ "DeMelo takes the clean sweep". infinity management. 18 August 2015. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Canadian Zachary Claman DeMelo joins Juncos Racing for 2016 Indy Lights campaign". Juncos Racing. December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ "2016 Indy Lights Series Year in Review: Zachary Claman De Melo – POPULAR SPEED". popularspeed.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Carlin adds Claman De Melo to Indy Lights lineup". NBC sports. February 6, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Zachary Claman Demelo will return to race full-time in Indy Lights in 2019". NBC sports. December 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ Wood, Elliot (20 May 2019). "Zachary Claman DeMelo to miss rest of Indy Lights season". Formula Scout. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  8. ↑ Barnes, Joey (July 22, 2016). "Schmidt Peterson Duo Experience It All at Mid-Ohio Test". Indycar.com. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Claman DeMelo to race for RLLR at Sonoma". Racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. September 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  10. ↑ Malsher, David (2018-02-07). "De Melo confirmed at Coyne with Paysafe sponsorship". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
  11. ↑ Sonoma notes: No. 13 carries special meaning for Claman DeMelo - IndyCar Series, 16 September 2017
  12. ↑ "NHL's Daniel Sprong Accused of Assaulting Former IndyCar Driver Zach Claman Demelo". Bleacher Report. 12 August 2023.
  13. ↑ "Zachary Clamen DeMelo – 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Zachary Clamen DeMelo – 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
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