"Didn't See the Point". Oleksandr Bondarev Commented on the Decision to End the Formula 4 Season Early
What the Racer Said About His Move to a Different Racing Series.
Ukrainian Formula 4 driver Oleksandr Bondarev has withdrawn from the rest of the Italian F4 and E4 Championship seasons. The racer announced this officially at a press meeting on September 2.
According to the athlete, he will continue competing for Van Amersfoort Racing in the FRECA Regional European Championship. The series has two more rounds in 2026 — both in September, at Imola and Hockenheim. Bondarev, meanwhile, will skip three Italian F4 weekends and the E4 Championship's final round.
Which Formula 4 Rounds Oleksandr Bondarev Will Miss
- September 4–6. Italian F4. Round 5, Imola.
- September 18–20. Italian F4. Round 6, Misano.
- October 9–11. E4 Championship. Round 3, Monza.
- October 30 – November 1. Italian F4. Round 7, Mugello.
According to the driver and his mother (manager) Oksana, it was after the June F4 round in Monza that their expectations for the season stopped matching reality.
“There were numerous problems throughout the season [including engine issues]. So at one point we realized we were no longer fighting for the championship. We went into a second year in Formula 4 to win it, and we did that in the UAE [at the UAE4 Series],” Bondarev said.
“After everything that happened in Italy, we didn't see the point in spending any more money or mental energy [on this series],” added Bondarev's manager, Oksana Bryzhalova.
Asked by DeTalks about the “rush” to leave Formula 4 for FRECA, Oleksandr answered calmly. He said the Formula 3 car suits him far better than the F4 car. Still, he'll have very little time to prepare for the series' upcoming Imola round — just three free practice sessions.
The Ukrainian didn't go into detail about the move from Prema to VAR, saying only that he'd done several tests with the Dutch team and felt a connection during them.
“How did things end with Prema? It was a mutual decision. The team has already announced another driver to take Oleksandr's seat. Do we still talk in the paddock? Sure, of course. Do we plan to keep working with Prema going forward? Probably not.”
“After the winter championship [in the UAE], the Italians went through a change in leadership, and there was a bit of a shake-up. Unfortunately, we ended up on the losing end of that shake-up,” Oksana said.
“There's a lot we can't talk about, since it's not just about my relationship with Prema, but theirs with Williams too,” Oleksandr explained.
At the same time, according to Bondarev's mother, the Formula 1 academy continues to support the Ukrainian, meaning the driver plans to run a full 2027 season in FRECA.
“We plan to stay in motorsport for the long run, so it makes no sense to part ways with teams on bad terms. We didn't take it to court.”
At the time he left Prema, Oleksandr stood ninth overall in the Italian series and sixth in the E4 Championship.
His new team, meanwhile, isn't having a great run in the current FRECA season: the Dutch outfit has just 37 points and sits second-to-last in the standings.
Oleksandr Bondarev's 2026 Formula 4 Season Results
Italian F4
- 135 points (9th place)
- Two podiums
- Scored points in 9 of 12 races (top 15)
- Three DNFs
E4 Championship
- 78 points (6th place)
- Scored points in 5 of 6 races (top 15)
DeTalks is the official broadcaster of Formula 4 in Ukraine! Watch every race featuring Bondarev with Ukrainian commentary live on the YouTube channel of DeTalks.