Van Amersfoort Racing welcomes Williams F1 Team Academy Driver Oleksandr Bondarev for final two FREC rounds
Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) is pleased to announce that Oleksandr ‘Sasha’ Bondarev will join the team for the final two rounds of the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) season. The Ukrainian driver will replace Francisco Macedo following a mutually agreed decision between Macedo and the team.
Oleksandr will make his FREC debut with VAR at the upcoming round in Imola, before completing the season at Hockenheim. The two final rounds will give him the opportunity to gain experience at Formula Regional level while working with the VAR team.
His racing career began in karting at the age of five, and by the age of seven he had already won the Ukrainian Karting Championship. He went on to achieve a series of international karting results, including the WSK Super Master Series title in OKJ in 2022 and the FIA Karting European Championship title in OKJ in 2023. That same year, he joined the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy, before winning the WSK Champions Cup in OK in 2024.
The move into single-seater racing came in 2024, when Oleksandr made his first appearances in the Italian F4 Championship. He stepped up to a full season the following year, taking his first Italian F4 victory at Imola and winning the E4 Championship Rookie title. At the start of 2026, he added the UAE4 Series title to his record, becoming the first Ukrainian driver to win the championship. He has since continued competing in Italian F4 while remaining part of the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy.
The team has followed Oleksandr’s progress in recent seasons and has had the opportunity to work with him during testing. The final two rounds now provide an opportunity to build on that experience, while supporting his next step in single-seater racing and giving him valuable experience at Formula Regional level.
Oleksandr Bondarev – Formula Regional driver, Van Amersfoort Racing:
“I’m very happy to join Van Amersfoort Racing for the final two rounds of the FREC season. It’s a great opportunity to gain more experience at Formula Regional level and work with a new team. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone, learning as much as possible and giving my best on track.”
Brad Joyce – Team Principal, Van Amersfoort Racing:
“We’re pleased to welcome Oleksandr to VAR for the final two rounds of the season. He has already achieved strong results in karting and Formula 4, and we have also seen his pace first-hand during testing with the team. We’re looking forward to working with him and seeing how he adapts to the Formula Regional environment. We would also like to thank Francisco for his commitment and work with the team and wish him all the best for the next steps in his career.”
The final two rounds of the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship will take place at Imola from 4 - 6 September, followed by the season finale at Hockenheim from 11 - 13 September. Fans and partners can follow all the action from the final two FREC rounds via the Championship’s official YouTube channel.