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.

Sebastian Wheldon emerged as the fastest across the two Free Practice sessions that opened the Zandvoort weekend. At the Dutch venue, which hosts the second round of the FIA Formula Regional European Championship, the MP Motorsport driver set the overall quickest time in the morning with a lap of 1:30.114 that no one could improve on later in the day as afternoon temperatures rose.

FIA Formula Regional European Championship officially gets underway with the opening pre-season test at Hockenheim, scheduled for today, Tuesday, 24 March, and for Wednesday.

Van Amersfoort Racing has confirmed its driver line-up for the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship, with Dion Gowda set to return alongside newcomers Andrea Dupe and Francisco Macedo.
 

It was a weekend to remember for Van Amersfoort Racing, as the Dutch squad celebrated its 50th anniversary in style with a commanding one-two finish on home soil in Race 2 of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.