Seven-Podium Weekend for Van Amersfoort Racing in Italian F4 at Vallelunga
Van Amersfoort Racing’s Formula 4 team delivered a standout performance at the second round of the 2025 Italian Formula 4 Championship at Vallelunga, securing multiple podiums and rookie honors across a competitive weekend.
For the first race at the Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi, it was Marcus Saeter and Aleksander Ruta’s turn to showcase their potential. Marcus delivered an impressive performance, securing his first points of the season with a strong seventh-place finish. To make it even better, he claimed a well-deserved third-place trophy in the rookie championship. Alex showed good determination throughout the race, gaining valuable experience as he crossed the line in 18th place, laying the groundwork for further progress in the upcoming races.
In Race 2, it was Maximilian Popov, Dante Vinci, and Payton Westcott’s turn to take on the track. Max carried over his strong form from Misano, securing a solid sixth-place finish and adding valuable points to both his and the team’s standings. Dante made a great step forward from the previous round, claiming his first championship point by finishing in tenth place. To add to the team’s success, Dante also earned a third-place trophy in the rookie championship, marking the team’s second podium appearance of the weekend. Payton continued to build on the experience gained in Misano, showing steady progress as she brought the car home in 22nd place. Her efforts were rewarded with a second podium appearance in the female category.
In the third race, all of our drivers lined up on the grid, ready to make their mark. Max once again impressed with an outstanding drive, claiming third place and securing his third podium finish of the season, a testament to his consistency and speed. Marcus delivered another strong performance, finishing in P4, adding more valuable points to his total and narrowly missing out on his first overall podium. The Norwegian driver did, however, celebrate victory in the rookie championship, taking home the P1 rookie trophy.
Building on a positive qualifying, Alex put in a strong second race as well, scoring his first championship points with a solid seventh-place finish, and earning his first podium appearance, with a third-place rookie trophy. Dante showed great pace and racecraft, running in eighth and on course for more points before a ten-second penalty unfortunately dropped the Australian driver to 19th. Payton faced a tougher outing but continued to show resilience and commitment, finishing 23rd.
The final race of the weekend was one filled with both highs and lows for the team. Marcus once again underlined his impressive potential, crossing the line in a strong fifth place and claiming the P2 rookie trophy, a fantastic way to wrap up his weekend. Alex added more points to his growing point total with a solid eighth-place finish, just missing out on another rookie podium but showing excellent consistency.
It was a tougher race for Max and Dante, with Max finishing in 22nd after a challenging run, while Dante was unfortunately forced to retire his car early. Despite the setbacks, the team leaves Vallelunga with valuable points, podium trophies, and plenty of positives to build on for the coming rounds. The next round of the Italian F4 Championship will take place at the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza from June 20 to June 22.
