Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) was founded in 1975 by Frits van Amersfoort. Their story began when Huub Rothengatter walked into the Van Amersfoort family garage asking for help repainting his Formula Ford 1600, and the rest quickly became history. VAR first competed in Formula Ford and German Formula racing, and by the late 1990s and early 2000s, the team had established itself as a fixture in German and European Formula 3.
Over the years, VAR has built a reputation for developing raw but highly talented drivers, giving them the platform to shine. Its alumni include Jos and Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, and Liam Lawson, names that underscore the team’s status as a key stepping stone to the top of motorsport.
With the launch of FIA Formula 4 in 2015, VAR became a powerhouse in both ADAC F4 (Germany) and Italian F4. In 2022, Van Amersfoort Racing expanded into FRECA, bridging the gap between its F4 program and higher categories, while also entering FIA Formula 3 that same year.
In the 2025 FRECA season, Pedro Clerot, Dion Gowda, and Hiyu Yamakoshi carry the flag for VAR. Together, they have powered the team to P3 in the Teams’ Standings, collecting 220 points across the first six rounds. Below, we take a closer look at each driver’s individual performance.
Pedro Clerot (#22)
Clerot, from Brasília, Brazil, began his motorsport journey in 2016 through karting. The 17-year-old quickly rose through the ranks, securing three Brasiliense Karting Championships and two Open Brazilian Karting Championships. By 2021, at just 14 years old, he stepped into single-seaters, claiming the rookie title in Formula Delta. That year he also became the youngest driver to take pole position and win in official car competitions across both touring and single-seater categories.
In 2022, Clerot dominated the inaugural Brazilian Formula 4 Championship, collecting seven victories, eleven podiums, and four pole positions to secure the title. His breakthrough earned him Brazil’s prestigious “Golden Helmet” award in 2023. Alongside this, he contested Spanish F4, impressing with three podiums, including two wins on debut at Spa.
He advanced to the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2024 with Van Amersfoort Racing, marking his rookie season with two podium finishes, at Mugello and Barcelona.
In 2025, Clerot has stepped up as one of the frontrunners in the championship. He currently sits fourth in the Drivers’ Standings with 108 points, highlighted by his maiden FRECA victory at Zandvoort. That result also delivered a memorable 1–2 finish for Van Amersfoort Racing in Race 2, underlining both his pace and the team’s competitiveness. Beyond that breakthrough win, Clerot’s season has been defined by consistency, regularly scoring points and staying within reach of the leaders. With several rounds still to run, his momentum keeps him firmly in contention to break into the top three by season’s end.
Dion Gowda (#55)
The 16-year-old from Bangalore, India, began his motorsport journey at the age of nine, quickly making his mark in karting. He collected podium finishes in the ROK Cup Singapore and the X30 South East Asia Championship, before stepping up to the World Karting Championship at 14, where he claimed a pole position and multiple race wins.
His single-seater career began in 2023 with the Formula 4 UAE Championship, followed by a breakout campaign in British F4 where he scored four wins and six podiums. The following year, Gowda raced in both Italian F4 and the Euro 4 Championship, adding two more podium finishes to his record.
Gowda made his FRECA debut in 2025 with Van Amersfoort Racing, competing in both the main and rookie classifications. He claimed his first rookie win in the opening race of the season, though a technical issue forced him to retire in Race 2. Since then, he has shown strong promise, including a P5 finish at Spa-Francorchamps and another rookie win at Zandvoort (he finished P8 in the race), where he also contributed to VAR’s best overall performance in the series so far.
Currently sitting 13th in the Drivers’ Standings and leading the Rookie Championship with 22 points, Gowda will be looking to build on his consistency in the closing rounds to keep his rookie title ambitions alive.
Hiyu Yamakoshi (#11)
Yamakoshi began his motorsport journey at the age of eight, competing in various karting championships. One of his standout achievements came in 2020, when he finished second overall in the IAME Series Japan – X30 Junior.
In 2024, he joined Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) to contest both the Italian F4 and Euro 4 Championships, quickly establishing himself as a top contender. Across the two series, he collected 11 podiums, 4 wins, 3 pole positions, and 4 fastest laps, showcasing his speed and consistency.
Progressing to FRECA in 2025, Yamakoshi has maintained strong form. He scored points consistently during the first four rounds, including two P2 finishes in Race 2 at Spa and Zandvoort. However, Round 6 at Imola brought his first retirement of the season following a collision with Evan Giltaire. Currently, he sits fifth overall with 34 points and two podiums, proving himself as one of the championship’s rising talents.
