Following a mixed campaign in the 2024 FIA F3 Championship, Santiago Ramos joined Van Amersfoort Racing for the 2025 season. The move has paid dividends, as the Mexican driver has since claimed three podium finishes, including his first and second career victories in F3. He currently sits 14th in the Drivers’ Championship with 48 points.
Aiming for continued success after strong start to 2025
In an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief, Ramos spoke positively about the transition to his new team and the impact it has had on his performance. He praised the professional atmosphere at Van Amersfoort, citing the cohesive team dynamic as a key factor behind their success so far.
“As an experienced driver coming from another team in F3, I’m really happy so far with the team. I think it’s really professional. The environment is really, really healthy. I think we all push forward. We push together as a team. So I think the results are starting to come.”
With the first half of the season now complete, Ramos remains optimistic about Van Amersfoort’s potential in the latter rounds. He expressed confidence in the car’s capabilities and his fellow drivers, underscoring the importance of maintaining their current momentum.
“We know we have a good car. We know we have good drivers. So, hopefully, we can keep it like this.”
Embracing Van Amersfoort’s Legacy
Reflecting on the broader history of Van Amersfoort Racing, Ramos acknowledged the Dutch outfit’s long-standing commitment to nurturing young talent. With five decades of experience in junior motorsports, the team has helped shape the careers of numerous successful drivers, including Formula E’s Jake Hughes, David Beckmann and Dan Ticktum, World Endurance Championship’s Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, and Formula 1’s Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Charles Leclerc, and four-time World Champion Max Verstappen.
Although not all of these drivers represented Van Amersfoort at Formula 3 level, Ramos recognised the team’s influential role across various junior categories. Alongside teammates Ivan Domingues and Théophile Naël, Ramos now forms part of the new generation of drivers aiming to uphold that legacy.
“So far, I’ve realised that in every junior category Van Amersfoort is really good at developing talent. So, I’m super happy to work with them. I think the results are finally starting to come and I hope we can keep this momentum going for the last five rounds of the season.”
A consistence season but improvements needed
Evaluating the first half of his 2025 F3 campaign, Ramos described his performance as consistent, despite setbacks that included three non-finishes in Sprint Races and a retirement in the Feature Race at Barcelona. He nonetheless takes pride in the progress made, particularly his two victories and a third podium result.
“For me, it has been, I think, quite a consistent season. We had already two wins, one podium. So it’s good. Obviously, as a driver, that’s really good. It gives you a lot of pleasure.”
However, Ramos remains realistic about the work still to be done. He acknowledged that if Van Amersfoort Racing intends to fight for the championship, further improvements in consistency are essential. Technical issues and driver errors have cost valuable points, and he emphasised that both he and the team are focused on addressing those shortcomings.
“But I think if you want to be able to fight for the championship, that is what we’re here for, you definitely need more consistency. And yeah, I think we had already some points that we lost. They were really in the bag, and we lost them because of mistakes of my part or just some technical problems. Definitely, I think we can improve in that area.”
Consistency key as Ramos eyes championship fight
Now well into the 2025 F3 season’s crucial second half, Ramos remains focused on consistency as the key to success. With a competitive package and a supportive team behind him, he believes that Van Amersfoort Racing can secure more race wins and podium finishes, potentially elevating both himself and the team in the championship standings.
“So, I think consistency is the key for us. I’m sure that this second part will have a lot more consistency than what we had before. And I think if we’re able to fix that, I’m really sure we have potential to win races, to score podiums and hopefully we can keep this streak going and try to fight for a good position in the championship.”
