17-year-old Ukrainian racer Alexander Bondarev, competing for Van Amersfoort Racing, delivered a solid result in the first race of the final round of the Formula Regional European Championship (FREC), held at the German circuit in Gokkenheim. Starting from 19th position, the driver managed to claw back eleven places and finish eighth, thereby breaking into the championship's scoring zone for the first time at this round. This result marked an important step in his debut season in regional Formula.
Breakthrough from 19th to 8th Position
According to the organizers and sports media, Bondarev's breakthrough was made possible by an aggressive yet clean strategy: the Ukrainian began a series of overtakes on the early laps and skillfully exploited his rivals' mistakes without suffering any time losses of his own. Confident driving over the distance allowed him not only to maintain his pace but also to settle into the group that scores championship points, a notable achievement for a driver who joined the team only at the end of the season.
Best Rookie of the Race
In addition to points for the personal standings, Bondarev was officially awarded the title of best rookie of this race. The honor underscores that his result was achieved in the face of competition from more experienced drivers and within his debut participation in the Van Amersfoort Racing lineup, to which he had joined only for the season finale.
Race Podium
The podium finishers of the first race of the Gokkenheim round were Pole Jan Prziworski, who took the win, Briton Kin Nakamura-Berta, who finished second, and UAE's Rashed Al-Daheri, who claimed third place. Bondarev, who completed the race in eighth, thereby entered the scoring group and missed the podium by just a few positions.
The Decisive Race of the Season
The final, decisive race of the current FREC season will take place on Sunday, 13 September. The start of the competition is scheduled for 17:15 Kyiv time. It is this race that will determine the final distribution of places in the championship's personal standings, which gives it the status of a key event of the season for Bondarev and his team.
Context: The Path to a Debut Victory
Recall that at the series' preliminary round in Imola, Italy, Alexander Bondarev already made history, becoming the first Ukrainian driver to secure a victory in the Regional Formula. According to available information, the Ukrainian joined Van Amersfoort Racing only at the end of the season and is taking part in two rounds — Imola and Gokkenheim — which makes his current results especially significant for the national fan community.
