Not being in a race car since May has taken its toll on Callum Hedge.
So, to cure the lack of action, the young Kiwi is off to Italy for a weekend in the European Formula Regional championship.
Hedge will have two races at Monza in the final round of the regional Formula 3 series at the end of the month.
This year, the promising teenager crossed the ditch to compete in Australia’s Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.
Despite a solid start to his rookie campaign where he is third in the standings, Hedge hasn’t raced for several months.
“It’s been a rough 2020 and 2021,” Hedge told Velocity News. “They’ve been destroyed by Covid.
“I’ve been trying to race in Oz, but that just hasn’t happened.
“The one-off weekend at Monza is just to try and get on the track again.”
The opportunity to drive with the GP4 team at Monza is Hedge’s first time in a single-seater since the 2019 Australian Formula Ford championship.
It is also his first time racing at Monza.
“Thrown in the deep end in a bit,” he said.
“Racing wings and slicks will be a real change. But we should adapt quickly.”
Formula Regional uses a Formula 3 car almost identical to the car used in the Toyota Racing Series.
Hedge has tested the current-iteration TRS machine, which should give him a leg-up at Monza.
“I’ll be giving it my all.”
Swiss driver Grégoire Saucy has already wrapped up the 2021 title and has won eight races so far this season.
The Monza round is on October 30-31, with both races live streamed via the Formula Regional website and YouTube channel.