15-Year-Old Ukrainian Driver Oleksandr Bondarev Makes His Formula 4 Debut: The Driver's Result

This marks the first-ever participation of a Ukrainian driver in Formula history.

Ukrainian driver Oleksandr Bondarev has begun his Formula 4 career. It happened during the race in Barcelona, where Oleksandr finished 19th, 16 seconds behind the leader.

In September 2023, Bondarev became the first Ukrainian to sign a contract with a Formula 1 team, joining the Williams Academy. The move meant the driver ended his karting career, which he'd pursued since age five, and moved fully into single-seater racing.

Bondarev ran his first three Formula 4 races in Barcelona, racing for Prema Racing at the sixth round of the Italian F4 championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. His best result was 18th.

Oleksandr Bondarev: The Basics

• Oleksandr began his karting career at age five. At seven, Bondarev became the youngest karting champion in Ukraine. He later moved to Europe and began competing in European and world championships.

• In 2022, the Ukrainian was involved in a crash during a race in Spain. Oleksandr suffered severe injuries and underwent 10 surgeries. Despite the difficult situation, he returned to the wheel just five months after the incident.

• Oleksandr's Formula 4 debut marked the first-ever race by a Ukrainian driver in the series' history.

• Next up for Bondarev is the final round of the F4 Italian Championship, taking place in Monza October 25–27.

• Formula 4 (F4) is an open-wheel racing category created by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in 2014. The series is designed for young drivers aged 15 and up and serves as one of the steps on the road to Formula 1. An F4 car has an engine output of around 160 hp and can reach speeds of up to 210 km/h.