LN4 Fusion will make its competitive racing debut in the final two rounds of the 2026 Formula Trophy Malaysia season, fielding a three-car line-up featuring Oleksandr Bondarev, Lucas Nanji and Jesse Phillips. The newly established team will enter the championship at Sepang International Circuit, marking its first competitive appearance just two months after its official launch.
The Lando Norris-backed organisation will begin its racing programme during the championship’s second round on 6–8 November before returning for the season finale in December. The two events will provide an opportunity to develop its sporting and technical operations while preparing for an ambitious expansion across several junior single-seater categories in 2027.
Having recently secured its place on the FIA F2 grid for the next three-year cycle, LN4 Fusion will now turn its attention towards establishing an effective racing operation. The Malaysian campaign represents an important milestone in that process, allowing the organisation to evaluate its personnel, develop working relationships and gain experience under competitive conditions.
LN4 Fusion prepares for first competitive appearance at Sepang
LN4 Fusion’s decision to enter Formula Trophy Malaysia represents a significant step in its preparations for the 2027 season. Since officially launching in September, the organisation has focused on establishing the infrastructure and personnel required to compete across multiple international championships. However, the upcoming Sepang event will provide its first opportunity to put those preparations into practice.
The newly established team launched by Norris has already outlined plans to develop a comprehensive pathway through junior single-seater racing. By competing in Malaysia before its full-season programmes begin, LN4 Fusion can assess its operational procedures in a competitive environment rather than relying exclusively on testing.
Formula Trophy Malaysia provides an opportunity for that development, with the championship using Tatuus F4-T421 machinery at Sepang. The series began its three-round campaign in October, with the remaining events scheduled for 6–8 November and 11–13 December.
Although the organisation has yet to contest a race, its experienced leadership and promising driver line-up provide a foundation for its first competitive challenge.
Bondarev leads three-car line-up following successful 2026 campaign
Ukrainian driver Oleksandr Bondarev will spearhead LN4 Fusion’s entry following a successful season across Formula 4 and Formula Regional competition. The Williams Racing Driver Academy member secured the 2026 Formula 4 Middle East Championship before adding further achievements to his rapidly developing single-seater career.
Bondarev demonstrated his versatility throughout the year, claiming victories in both Formula 4 and Formula Regional machinery. His Formula Regional success proved particularly significant, as he secured victory during his debut weekend at Imola with Van Amersfoort Racing, demonstrating his ability to adapt quickly to more powerful cars.
The Ukrainian driver’s confirmation for the 2026 FIA F4 World Cup also adds importance to his Malaysian appearance. Bondarev will compete with SJM Theodore Racing at Macau later in November, making the Formula Trophy Malaysia outing an opportunity to maintain his competitive momentum before another significant international event.
His experience across several championships should provide LN4 Fusion with a valuable reference as it begins establishing its competitive operations.
Nanji continues development following rookie USF2000 season
Canadian driver Lucas Nanji will join Bondarev in LN4 Fusion’s three-car line-up after completing his rookie campaign in the USF2000 Championship. His participation represents another opportunity to expand his experience in junior single-seater racing while adapting to a different competitive environment.
Having spent the season developing his abilities in the American junior racing system, Nanji will now gain additional track time at Sepang, a circuit that presents considerable technical challenges through its combination of long straights, heavy braking zones and demanding corners.
The Malaysian programme will also allow him to develop his understanding of working with a new team. As LN4 Fusion prepares to establish itself across several championships, the opportunity for drivers and engineers to build effective communication during competitive sessions will form an important part of the organisation’s preparations.
Although Nanji arrives with a different racing background from his teammates, his participation contributes to a line-up that brings together experience from several junior single-seater pathways.
GB4 Winter Series champion Phillips completes LN4 Fusion line-up
British driver Jesse Phillips completes the team’s three-car entry following a successful transition from karting and junior sports car competition into single-seater racing. As the youngest member of the line-up, Phillips will use the Malaysian campaign to build on his recent achievements while gaining further experience against international competition.
Phillips secured the 2025 Ginetta Junior Winter Series title before competing in the main Ginetta Junior Championship during 2026, where he finished fourth in the standings with nine podium finishes. He subsequently made the transition into GB4 machinery with Elite Motorsport for the inaugural Winter Series at Snetterton.
The British driver delivered an impressive performance across the four-race event, securing two victories and another podium finish. However, the championship remained undecided until the conclusion of the final race, when a post-race penalty for George Proudford-Nalder ultimately handed Phillips the title by a single point.
His dramatic GB4 Winter Series championship victory represented an encouraging beginning to his single-seater career, particularly given his limited experience in the category.
Phillips will now aim to build on that success with LN4 Fusion, using the Sepang events to improve his familiarity with Formula 4 machinery and continue developing his racecraft.
Richards highlights importance of LN4 Fusion’s first race weekend
LN4 Fusion Chief Executive Officer Dan Richards welcomed the confirmation of the team’s first competitive appearance, emphasising the significance of reaching this milestone only two months after the organisation’s launch.
Richards believes the Formula Trophy Malaysia campaign represents an important opportunity to evaluate the progress LN4 Fusion has made while continuing to develop the operational foundations required for its full-season programmes.
“This is the first time the team goes racing, and that is not a small thing. It is an important moment and the culmination of the work done so far. A great deal has happened in a short space of time and all of it has been building towards the challenge of competition.
“With so much work ahead to prepare for our 2027 debut, it’s great to have the chance to compete straight away, only a couple of months after our launch.
“By entering the final rounds of Formula Trophy Malaysia, we’ll see how we work and operate together in a competitive setting, and gain experience as a group as we prepare for next season.”
Richards’ comments underline the importance of competitive preparation as LN4 Fusion moves beyond establishing its organisational structure. The Malaysian events will allow the team to identify areas requiring further development while strengthening communication between its drivers, engineers and operational personnel.
Malaysian campaign supports LN4 Fusion’s ambitious 2027 expansion
The Formula Trophy Malaysia programme comes during a period of rapid expansion for LN4 Fusion, which has already secured entries across several junior single-seater championships for 2027.
The organisation recently secured its place on the FIA F2 grid for 2027–2029, replacing AIX Racing as the championship confirmed its competitors for the next three-year cycle. The announcement represented another important milestone for the Norris-backed project, completing its planned presence across the main stages of the international junior racing ladder.
Meanwhile, LN4 Fusion has established programmes in Italian F4, the FIA Formula Regional European Championship and FIA F3. The team has also continued developing its British F4 preparations, while its wider structure aims to provide young drivers with opportunities to progress through multiple categories.
The confirmation of its 2027 FREC entry further strengthened those ambitions, placing the organisation alongside established teams including PREMA Racing, ART Grand Prix and MP Motorsport.
However, preparing for simultaneous programmes across several championships presents substantial operational challenges. Consequently, the opportunity to gain competitive experience in Malaysia could prove particularly valuable as the organisation develops its procedures ahead of next season.
LN4 Fusion begins new chapter ahead of full-season programmes
LN4 Fusion’s first competitive appearance will provide an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of its preparations against established competitors in Formula Trophy Malaysia. Although the team has assembled an experienced leadership structure, its debut at Sepang will introduce the demands of managing an actual race weekend.
Bondarev’s recent success in Formula 4 and Formula Regional, Nanji’s experience in USF2000 and Phillips’ achievements in GB4 provide the organisation with three drivers at different stages of their development. Their contrasting backgrounds should also offer useful feedback as LN4 Fusion continues refining its technical and sporting operations.
The team will contest its first event from 6–8 November before returning to Sepang for the championship’s final round in December. Both appearances will provide competitive running ahead of the organisation’s expanded 2027 commitments.
Having made rapid progress since its September launch, LN4 Fusion will now face its first test on track. While its longer-term ambitions extend across the junior single-seater ladder, the immediate priority will be establishing a strong operational foundation and gaining the experience required to support its future programmes.
