Dion Gowda continues with Van Amersfoort Racing in Formula Regional
Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) is pleased to announce that Dion Gowda will continue with the team for its full Formula Regional campaign. Following a strong rookie season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), the 18-year-old will compete with VAR in both the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy (FRME) and the new Formula Regional European Championship (FREC).
Dion began his racing career in karting at the age of eight before making the transition to single-seater competition in 2023 with a debut in the F4 United Arab Emirates Championship. He quickly made his mark in British Formula 4, securing multiple race wins and podium finishes, before continuing his development in 2024 with campaigns in the Italian F4 and Euro 4 Championships.
That progression led to his step up to Formula Regional machinery in 2025, where he completed his first full season at regional Formula level with Van Amersfoort Racing. Dion delivered an impressive rookie campaign, finishing first in the Rookie Championship classification and scoring the highest rookie points in 14 of the 20 races.
Continuing with Van Amersfoort Racing for the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy will allow Dion to remain race-active over the winter months in a competitive environment. The series will also mark his first outings with the new Formula Regional car, the Tatuus T-326, combined with a new three-cylinder engine derived from Toyota. Building on last year’s full-season collaboration, both driver and team will use the FRMET to fine-tune their understanding of the new car and head into the Formula Regional European Championship ready to fight for strong points
Dion Gowda – Formula Regional driver, Van Amersfoort Racing:
“I’m very happy to be sticking with Van Amersfoort Racing for the 2026 Formula Regional campaign. We had a solid first season together and I believe we can continue and improve on that form for 2026.”
Brad Joyce – Team Principal, Van Amersfoort Racing:
“We’re excited to continue working with Dion as he competes with Van Amersfoort Racing in both the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy and the Formula Regional European Championship. In his rookie season with us, he already proved his ability in Formula Regional machinery. Dion is a very professional and respectful driver with a positive attitude, making him a real pleasure to work with. The Middle East rounds will give him the perfect chance to get fully familiar with the new car, helping both him and the team head into the European Championship ready to fight for strong points.”
The Formula Regional Middle East Trophy will kick off at Yas Marina Circuit from 16–18 January, followed by another round at Yas Marina Circuit the week after. The team will continue to travel to Dubai for the third round and finish the season in Qatar at Lusail Internation Circuit on 11-13 February. For the European Championship, the first event will take place from 24-26 April, where the drivers will battle it out on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. The season will take place on 8 iconic European circuits, alongside DTM and GT Open weekends.
Van Amersfoort Racing looks forward to supporting Dion Gowda as he continues his progression in junior single-seater racing. Make sure to follow the teams’ social media pages to stay up to date with the latest news.
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.