16-year-old Ukrainian wins Formula 4, taking lead with 3 minutes to go
Photo: Ukrainian pilot of the Prema Racing team, Oleksandr Bondarev (facebook.com/PilotBondarev)
Ukrainian driver for the Prema team, 16-year-old Oleksandr Bondarev, won a Formula 4 race for the first time in his career. Bondarev took the lead just three minutes before the finish of the Italian series round in Imola, according to the race broadcast on YouTube.
Bondarev started from pole position, which he secured the day before during the third qualifying session - another career first for the 16-year-old racer.
However, the beginning of the race wasn't easy for the Ukrainian. He lost the lead on the very first lap, letting Japanese driver Kean Nakamura-Berta pull ahead. For most of the race, Oleksandr stayed in second place, creating constant pressure on his rival.
With just three minutes to go, Bondarev seized the moment and overtook the Japanese driver in one of the corners, moving into the lead. The Ukrainian held that position until the finish line.
Formula 4 results from the Imola round:
- Oleksandr Bondarev (Prema Racing);
- Kean Nakamura-Berta (Prema Racing);
- Newman Chi (Prema Racing).
This victory marked not only Bondarev's first career win, but also the first-ever win for Ukraine in the Italian Formula 4 series. Until now, the only Ukrainian to claim a win at a similar level was Ivan Peklin, who won a round of the French championship in 2020.
In addition to his victory, Bondarev also took the lead in the rookie standings for the season. The next Formula 4 round will take place on September 19 in Barcelona.
The Italian Formula 4 Championship was launched in 2013 as a starting platform for young drivers dreaming of a Formula 1 career. Among those who went through this series and made it to F1 are Lance Stroll, Oliver Bearman, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
