Ukrainian rising star Bondarev claims historic Formula 4 title
Oleksandr Bondarev (photo: instagram.com/pilot.bondarev)
At Qatar’s famous Lusail Circuit, the final race of the Formula 4 Middle East season took place, where Ukrainian driver Oleksandr Bondarev officially secured the championship.
RBC-Ukraine covers the historic achievement of the young motorsport star.
Standings before the start
The last race of the season’s final round was decisive for the title fight. The 16-year-old Ukrainian from the Williams Racing Academy started from fourth position after qualifying, giving him a comfortable lead over his main rival in the overall standings.
Before the two final races, Bondarev led French driver Andy Cosani by 23 points. To guarantee the title, finishing no lower than ninth place was enough for Bondarev.
How the decisive race unfolded
The race proved tense from the first meters: after incidents at the start, the safety car was deployed. During the restart, Bondarev made a small mistake and lost one position.
Despite efforts to return to the top four, the Ukrainian finished the race in fifth. Cosani took the victory.
Historic title for Ukraine
Even fifth place was enough to secure the season championship with a comfortable margin. Bondarev claimed his first career overall Formula 4 title.
Previously, the Ukrainian had only won the 2025 E4 rookie standings. Now he is the full champion of the series.
