FRECA | 2025 Round 3 | Zanvoort | A dominant home weekend for Van Amersfoort Racing - Motorsport

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The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) returned to action at Circuit Zandvoort for the third round of the 2025 season. Nestled within the sand dunes of the North Sea coast, the Dutch track is renowned for its sweeping layout, tight elevation changes, and banked corners that challenge both driver skill and car setup. Measuring 4.259 kilometres, Zandvoort demands precision, bravery, and consistency, offering no easy opportunities for error. The event was part of the DTM race weekend, drawing thousands of fans and creating an electric atmosphere. Once again, FRECA’s young drivers faced a demanding environment, where strategy, timing, and adaptability would prove as decisive as outright pace.

Championship leader Matteo De Palo arrived at Zandvoort carrying the momentum of a consistent start to the season. The Italian had combined a victory and third place at Misano with a second-place finish in Race 1 and a sixth in Race 2 at Spa. As a result, he led the standings with 66 points. Behind him, Evan Giltaire of ART Grand Prix, who had triumphed in Misano but failed to score in Race 2 at Spa, remained within striking distance. Meanwhile, Enzo Deligny (R-ace GP) had emerged as one of the season’s most impressive newcomers, scoring a breakthrough victory at Spa and complementing it with a third-place finish, pushing him into serious championship contention.

Pre-Event Collective Tests: Session 1: Bedrin shines as Clerot impresses home crowd

Thursday marked the start of official track action, with the first pre-event test taking place under dry and stable conditions. A steady breeze swept across the dunes, but the circuit surface remained clean and consistent, giving all 26 drivers an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the challenging layout. From the outset, Nikita Bedrin of Saintéloc Racing demonstrated the raw pace that had characterised his early-season performances. He set the session’s benchmark lap at 1:31.051, holding off Kanato Le of ART Grand Prix by a mere fourteen thousandths of a second. The tight margins were a signal that competition would be fierce throughout the weekend.

Pedro Clerot impressed the Van Amersfoort home crowd by securing the third-fastest time, underscoring Van Amersfoort Racing’s potential to dominate at their home event. Evan Giltaire displayed strong pace in fourth but suffered a setback when he went off at Turn Seven, bringing out a red flag and prematurely ending his session. Dion Gowda continued to shine as the fastest rookie in fifth, while teammate Taito Kato rounded out the top six, confirming ART Grand Prix’s balanced line-up. Freddie Slater, Hiyu Yamakoshi, Jin Nakamura, and Enzo Deligny also circulated near the front, all within half a second of the leader, highlighting the incredibly tight field. By the end of the session, the top twelve drivers were separated by less than a second, signalling that even minor mistakes could have significant consequences over a full race distance.

Pre-Event Collective Tests: Session 2: Deligny delights in mixed weather

The second pre-event test provided contrasting conditions. While the session began in dry weather, heavy rain arrived unexpectedly, creating a slippery and challenging track. Drivers who ventured out early secured the best times, as the surface rapidly deteriorated. Enzo Deligny capitalised on the opening minutes and set the fastest lap of the day at 1:30.918, a figure that also represented the outright best of the pre-event testing sessions. His performance confirmed that R-ace GP remained a serious contender for the weekend, capable of matching the front-runners in pace and strategy.

Kanato Le and Nikita Bedrin followed in second and third, separated by just five thousandths of a second, further illustrating the competitive balance among the top teams. Dion Gowda continued to impress with a fourth-place finish, while Yamakoshi demonstrated consistency in fifth, a promising sign for Van Amersfoort Racing on home soil. Pedro Clerot ensured VAR remained prominent in the top six, while Taito Kato rounded out the top seven, showing that ART Grand Prix could challenge for strong results. Matteo De Palo managed ninth, struggling to find rhythm on the wet surface, and Rashid Al Dhaheri completed the top ten, maintaining a solid pace in the difficult conditions.

Collective Test 1: De Palo shows strong form

Friday morning’s first collective test allowed the drivers to refine their dry-weather pace and finalise car setups ahead of qualifying. Matteo De Palo reasserted his authority at the top of the timesheets with a 1:30.856, demonstrating not only speed but remarkable consistency. VAR’s Clerot and Gowda followed closely in second and third, maintaining the momentum from their pre-event sessions. Jin Nakamura, Trident’s Bhirombhakdi, and Al Dhaheri completed the top six, with each driver separated by mere hundredths of a second.

The session showcased the depth of talent in the championship. Freddie Slater, Hiyu Yamakoshi, Deligny, and Ruiqi Liu all found themselves among the fastest ten, reflecting the competitive nature of the field. Even minor improvements or small errors could alter the balance significantly. Teams used the collective test to evaluate tyre strategies, brake balance, and aerodynamics, knowing that Zandvoort’s flowing but unforgiving corners demanded precision and adaptability.

Collective Test 2: Clerot consistent as Nakamura and Yamakoshi show style

In the afternoon, conditions remained favourable, and drivers sought to consolidate their performance from the morning. Freddie Slater produced the fastest lap of the day with a 1:30.306, reinforcing his status as one of the championship’s most in-form drivers. He edged Deligny by just 0.123 seconds, while Clerot continued his consistent showing in third. Nakamura and Yamakoshi filled the next two positions, further demonstrating the competitive spread at the front.

Evan Giltaire closed the session in sixth, only 0.584 seconds off the top, while De Palo was seventh. Al Dhaheri, Ruiqi Liu, and Gowda rounded out the top ten, with the rookie once again leading his category. The session confirmed that no single team could dominate outright. With five different outfits represented in the top ten, the weekend promised intense battles and strategic intrigue as drivers prepared for the high-stakes qualifying sessions.

Qualifying 1: Clerot edges Slater to pole

Saturday morning’s first qualifying session unfolded on a damp but drying track, split into two groups. In Group A, Akshay Bohra showed early pace for R-ace GP, challenging the championship leader Matteo De Palo and Enzo Deligny for a front-row spot. Hiyu Yamakoshi also demonstrated speed before settling into fourth, while Rashid Al Dhaheri and Jack Beeton held positions just behind. As the session closed, Bohra claimed the best time in the group at 1:37.391, signalling his intent to feature at the sharp end of the grid.

Group B saw more dramatic developments, with two red flags interrupting the proceedings. Nikita Bedrin and Giovanni Maschio both encountered issues, briefly halting the session and leaving drivers with limited opportunities to improve. Pedro Clerot seized the moment, posting a 1:33.443 that narrowly edged out Freddie Slater by fifteen thousandths of a second. Evan Giltaire secured third in the group, while Taito Kato and Jin Nakamura filled the next positions. Clerot’s achievement marked his maiden pole position in FRECA, providing Van Amersfoort Racing with an ideal platform on home soil and setting the stage for a weekend of high expectations.

Race 1: Slater seizes lead to deliver second victory of 2025

The opening race on Saturday evening began in perfect timing, as Freddie Slater executed a textbook start and overtook pole-sitter Clerot into Turn One. From that moment, Slater controlled the race, demonstrating poise and maturity beyond his years. He extended a small but consistent lead and crossed the line to claim his second victory of the season. Clerot held on for second, delighting the home crowd, while Bohra secured the final podium spot with a strong and consistent performance.

Behind the podium, Evan Giltaire capitalised on early opportunities to pass Deligny and finish fourth. Deligny himself crossed the line in fifth, while De Palo held sixth, maintaining his championship advantage through careful, calculated driving. Yamakoshi took seventh, followed closely by Al Dhaheri and Beeton in eighth and ninth. Dion Gowda emerged as the fastest rookie in tenth, rounding out the top ten and reinforcing his growing reputation as one of the series’ most promising newcomers. Two safety car periods influenced the race, first after contact between Edouard Borgna and Aditya Kulkarni, and later when Bedrin stopped on track. Despite the interruptions, Slater managed a flawless race to convert his pace into maximum points.

Qualifying 2: Clerot shines again

Sunday morning’s second qualifying session faced intermittent rain and rapidly changing track conditions. Group B, which headed out first, saw Clerot once again rise to the top, setting a lap of 1:40.144 and finishing 0.612 seconds ahead of Slater, who had led earlier. Jin Nakamura impressed once more with strong pace, while Giltaire took fourth and rookie Dion Gowda secured fifth.

Group A began in slightly drier conditions, prompting some drivers to gamble on slick tyres. However, renewed rainfall reshuffled the order, creating a tense battle for provisional pole. Hiyu Yamakoshi ultimately claimed the best time in the group, edging out Deligny by 0.407 seconds. Akshay Bohra, Matteo De Palo, and Kanato Le completed the front of the grid for the session, setting up a compelling race for positions at the sharp end.

Race 2: Clerot delivers home victory for Van Amersfoort

Van Amersfoort Racing celebrated a near-perfect weekend in the second race. Clerot converted his pole position into victory, leading from lights to flag and demonstrating calm and control under pressure. Yamakoshi followed closely in second, completing a one-two home success and marking a memorable milestone for VAR’s fiftieth anniversary. Slater delivered another podium performance in third, adding crucial points and consolidating his credentials as a championship contender.

Deligny finished fourth after a strong and measured drive, closely pursued by Nakamura in fifth, who had made decisive moves following the safety car restart. Bohra initially held sixth but dropped behind De Palo after a five-second time penalty for a jump start. Dion Gowda continued his rookie domination with a strong eighth-place finish, while Taito Kato and Nikita Bedrin rounded out the top ten. The race was briefly neutralised after contact between Doriane Pin and Tim Gerhards at Turn Ten. Evan Giltaire overcame a pit-lane start to recover to sixteenth, demonstrating resilience despite misfortune.

Slater on top as Van Amersfoort Racing seizes lead in Teams’ Championship

The Zandvoort weekend proved decisive for the 2025 FRECA championship, significantly reshaping both drivers’ and teams’ standings. Freddie Slater capitalised on his strong performances, taking victory in Race 1 and a podium in Race 2, to move to the top of the drivers’ table with 98 points. His rise from second to first illustrates not only his raw speed but also his growing consistency and composure under pressure. Matteo De Palo, despite retaining solid points finishes, now sits 16 points adrift on 82, while Enzo Deligny’s breakthrough form secured him third with 75 points. Evan Giltaire, once a championship frontrunner, fell to fourth on 67 points, highlighting the tight margins and unpredictability that define this season.

Van Amersfoort Racing enjoyed a dominant home weekend, surging to the top of the teams’ standings with 141 points. Prema Racing remain close on 125, while R-ace GP and ART Grand Prix hold 115 and 110 points respectively. The results underline the competitive depth of the championship: the title fight is no longer a two-way battle but a four-team contest where consistency and strategic execution are crucial. Clerot and Yamakoshi’s contributions ensured that Van Amersfoort Racing maximised home advantage, demonstrating that momentum can decisively influence the championship.

With several rounds remaining, the drivers’ title remains wide open. Slater now holds the psychological advantage, yet De Palo, Deligny, and Giltaire can still impact outcomes with strong finishes. Similarly, the teams’ championship has tightened, guaranteeing high stakes for every lap. The Zandvoort round has set the stage for a thrilling second half of the season, promising intense on-track battles, strategic manoeuvres, and a championship fight where every corner and decision will count.