Oleksandr Bondarev Wraps Up the Final Round of the Italian Formula 4 Season: The Ukrainian's Result

Ukrainian driver Oleksandr Bondarev set a new personal record at the Italian F4 championship.

It happened during the season's seventh round, held October 25–27 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. Oleksandr took part in three races, finishing as high as 11th in one of them.

The 15-year-old Williams Academy driver competed in the final two rounds of this year's championship. Starting next season, the Ukrainian will race as Prema's main driver.

The competition in Italy took place in difficult weather conditions. Due to rain, and later a wet track, drivers spent a significant portion of the races behind the safety car.

Oleksandr Bondarev's Results at the F4 Round in Monza:

• In the first race, Oleksandr finished 12th — his best-ever Formula 4 result. He later moved up to 11th after a five-second penalty for another driver. The Ukrainian's previous best result in the Italian series was 18th, at the round in Barcelona.

• Bondarev's second race ended early after a collision with other drivers, including Oleksandr Savinkov, an AKM Motorsport driver racing under the Ukrainian flag.

• In the weekend's final race, after three restarts, the Ukrainian driver finished 24th.

In an exclusive comment to DeTalks, Oleksandr shared his impressions of the season's end and the Monza races.

— This season, you only got to race in two final Formula 4 rounds. Do you think that experience was necessary this year, or would it have been better to wait until next season?

"I think this experience was very important for me, because now I understand what I need to work on to achieve strong results in this championship next year. I also got to see the main rivals I'll be racing against next year, but most importantly, I gained invaluable experience, so I won't have to start from scratch in the first races of the new season."

— A lengthy preparation for the new season lies ahead. After two races in Spain and Italy, which aspects do you think need the most improvement?

"I think the most important thing for getting results in F4 is tire management, so that will be my main focus during the winter tests. It's also very important to gain practical experience at every track where next year's races will take place."

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 season will be Bondarev's first full year with the Prema team. This winter, he faces a preparation program that includes simulator work and physical training.

• 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.