--- title: "Ukrainian Bondarev Breaks Into Scoring Zone at FREC Final Round and Becomes Best Rookie of the Race" description: "17-year-old Ukrainian driver Alexander Bondarev, in the colors of Van Amersfoort Racing, surged from 19th to 8th place in the first race of the final FREC round in Germany and was named best rookie of the race." date: 2026-09-12T14:02:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/bondarev-frec-gokkenheim-breakthrough-best-rookie tags: [formula-regional, frec, bondarev, van-amersfoort-racing, racing] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukrainian Bondarev Breaks Into Scoring Zone at FREC Final Round and Becomes Best Rookie of the Race ![Ukrainian driver Bondarev lifts the trophy on the podium at the final round of the FREC Formula Regional European Championship](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/12/bondarev-frec-gokkenhaim-proriv-luchshiy-novichok/bondarev-frec-gokkenhaim-proriv-luchshiy-novichok-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Alexander Bondarev (17, Van Amersfoort Racing) finished 8th in the first race of the final FREC round in Gokkenheim, gaining 11 positions. - The Ukrainian was named best rookie of the race and scored championship points. - Race podium: Jan Prziworski (Poland), Kin Nakamura-Berta (United Kingdom), Rashed Al-Daheri (UAE). - The decisive race of the season — 13 September at 17:15 Kyiv time. - Earlier in Imola, Bondarev became the first Ukrainian to win a race in the Regional Formula. 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. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Named best rookie of the race: Ukrainian driver makes an 11-position breakthrough in Regional Formula](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/stav-naykrashchim-novachkom-gonki-ukrayinskiy-1789221458.html) - Первичный источник: прорыв с 19-го на 8-е место, звание лучшего новичка, подиум гонки, дата финальной гонки 13 сентября 17:15, контекст Имола и участие в двух этапах. - [Bondarev finishes second in the second race of the FREC round in Imola, Italy](https://ua.tribuna.com/automoto/1000000373890-bondarev-finishuvav-druhym-u-druhiy-hontsi-etapu-frec-v/) - Подтверждает участие Бондарева в этапе FREC в Имоле и его высокие результаты. - [First points, pole and a win! Bondarev's perfect debut in Regional F-3](https://sport.ua/news/905333-pervye-ochki-poul-i-pobeda-idealniy-debyut-bondareva-v-regionalnoy-f-3) - Подтверждает дебютную победу и очки Бондарева в региональной Формуле на этапе в Имоле. - [Bondarev wins qualifying for the Formula Regional Europe round in Imola](https://ua.tribuna.com/automoto/1000000374005-bondarev-vyhrav-kvalifikatsiyu-etapu-rehionalnoyi-formul/) - Подтверждает участие Бондарева в этапе FREC в Имоле и его высокие результаты. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What result did Alexander Bondarev achieve in the first race of the final FREC round? **A:** He started from 19th position and finished 8th, breaking into the scoring zone and being named best rookie of the race. ### Q: Who made the podium in this race? **A:** Pole Jan Prziworski won, Briton Kin Nakamura-Berta finished second, and UAE's Rashed Al-Daheri took third. ### Q: When will the decisive race of the FREC season take place? **A:** On Sunday, 13 September, with the start at 17:15 Kyiv time. ### Q: Which team does Bondarev drive for and how many rounds has he competed in? **A:** He drives for Van Amersfoort Racing, which he joined at the end of the season, and is taking part in two rounds — Imola and Gokkenheim.