Oleksandr Bondarev Reaches the Formula 4 Podium for the First Time: How It Happened

The Ukrainian driver earned the round's best-rookie trophy.

Oleksandr Bondarev, a Prema Racing Formula 4 driver and Williams Academy member, finished first among rookies in the first race of the second F4 Middle East round in Abu Dhabi. In the overall standings, Oleksandr finished eighth.

At the first round on January 19, Bondarev scored his first-ever Formula 4 points. At the time, the Ukrainian climbed to 11th in the final Abu Dhabi race.

How the First Race of the Second F4 Middle East Round Went for Oleksandr Bondarev

• The race took place at the Yas Marina circuit in the UAE capital, the same venue as the first F4 Middle East round.
• The Ukrainian driver finished qualifying 10th and 13th. But within the first laps of the main race, Oleksandr gained two positions to reach eighth.
• With 18 minutes left in the race, Oleksandr passed two rivals to climb to sixth, though only briefly. The Ukrainian was running ninth, but with five minutes left, gained a higher position in a battle with British driver Martin Molnar.
• For most of the race, Colombian F4 rookie Salim Hanna ran ahead of Oleksandr, but suffered car damage in the closing minutes and dropped out of the fight. As a result, Bondarev achieved the season's best result among rookies and reached the podium for the first time in his Formula 4 career.

The next two races featuring Oleksandr take place January 23 at the same Abu Dhabi circuit.