John Bennett joins Van Amersfoort Racing for final two rounds in the FIA Formula 2 Championship
Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) is pleased to announce a change to its FIA Formula 2 Championship line-up for the final rounds of the 2024 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. British driver John Bennett will replace Enzo Fittipaldi for these two race weekends. After a strong start to the season, including a win in Jeddah, both the team and Enzo have agreed to part ways for the final rounds. This change offers a great opportunity for John to make his debut in Formula 2, aligning well with the team’s commitment to developing young talent.
John’s motorsport career began in car racing just four years ago in 2020 with the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, where he took three podiums in his debut season. The following year, he secured five wins and ten podiums, finishing as Vice Champion. In 2022, he moved to single-seaters, competing in the GB3 Championship, where he finished eighth overall with consistent point finishes and a podium at Donington Park. This year, John impressed in GB3 with three wins and eleven podiums, securing the Vice Championship. He also achieved the GB3 lap record at Brands GP at the final round of the season.
Moreover, John participated in post-season FIA Formula 3 testing with Van Amersfoort Racing, where he displayed solid pace and adaptability. His move to Formula 2 with the team for the final two rounds represents a valuable opportunity to gain experience in the competitive Formula 2 field. As Van Amersfoort Racing continues to uphold its commitment to nurturing emerging talent, the team looks forward to supporting John in these crucial final rounds of the season.
Brad Joyce – Team Principal of Van Amersfoort Racing:
“We’re excited to give John the opportunity to make his Formula 2 debut in the final two rounds of the season. His journey in motorsport reflects the talent and determination we value at VAR. John has shown impressive skill and maturity, particularly during the post-season F3 tests, where he quickly adapted to the car and demonstrated strong pace. This ability to adapt quickly combined with John’s professionalism has shown the team he’s ready for the challenge. We believe this move will be an important step in his development, and we’re proud to provide him with the platform to challenge himself at this level.”
John Bennett:
“Thank you so much to VAR for the trust they have put in me with this opportunity. Earlier this year, I was able to take part in the F3 tests with VAR, and they went very well. The team and I feel that I am ready to take the next step in F2 and I can’t wait for the new challenge. This will be a big step up for myself, but I will be looking to learn as much as possible from these 2 rounds and achieve solid results with the team.”
Van Amersfoort Racing is committed to providing young drivers with the chance to develop in a competitive environment. John’s inclusion in the 2024 F2 line-up is an exciting step in his racing career. We invite our fans and partners to follow John’s progress as he takes on this new challenge at Qatar (29 Nov – 1 Dec) and Abu Dhabi (6 – 8 Dec).
About Van Amersfoort Racing
Van Amersfoort Racing is a professional racing team based in the Netherlands. It was founded by Frits van Amersfoort in 1975. Since then, Van Amersfoort Racing has built a long tradition of supporting up-and-coming drivers on their way to higher levels. Drivers like Max and Jos Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Kevin Magnussen, and Liam Lawson all raced for Frits van Amersfoort's team in the early stages of their careers before making it into Formula 1.