Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR)’s Hiyu Yamakoshi steps up to FIA F3 in 2026 after a successful campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship, as he continues his journey with the team for another season. At the 2026 F3 season opener in Melbourne, the Japanese driver endured a challenging start that fell short of expectations, qualifying 22nd on Friday. The 19 year-old went on to finish 20th and 11th in the Sprint and Feature Races, respectively.
However, despite the disappointment, Yamakoshi expressed his excitement about continuing his single-seater journey with VAR, the team he has been with for three years.
He said: “This is my first time ever racing alongside Formula 1, which is one of my dreams. It’s really exciting to join the F3 grid in Melbourne.”
“This is my third year with them, which I’m really happy about. To continue with them from 2024 – I had a great season in 2024 – and I know they had quite a nice season in F3 last year.”
“I had two podiums and two P1 group qualifying in the Formula Regional Europe, so we know we are fast, they know I have speed. I trust myself and trust them, and we’ll keep pushing forward.”
The importance of continuity with VAR
For Yamakoshi, staying with a familiar team brings clear advantages. Even while working with a different group of people within the team, he believes the trust and belief built over time will fuel his motivation to perform and push for stronger results this year.
Yamakoshi said: “When you’re with a team you know, you haven’t got to learn how the team works, and they don’t have to learn how you work.”
“The team is the same, the people you work with are different people, but even so, the knows me and I know them. I think they trust me a lot, so that’s the reason why I can push myself harder than if it was with a brand-new team.”
Aiming for improvement and progress
The pre-season test in Barcelona proved productive for Yamakoshi and VAR, with the Japanese driver completing the most laps of anyone on both the first and second days of the three-day test. Over the course of the test, he noted clear progress in terms of pace, saying: “In the first test, I was like five seconds off from P1, but by the end, I managed to improve on myself and have nice progress.”
“I finished in P12, which is the Sprint pole position. It’s always good to be in the battle for pole position, even in the reverse grid.”
While his teammates Bruno del Pino and Enzo Deligny secured a one-two finish in Saturday’s Sprint Race in Melbourne, the rookie has kept a realistic approach to his expectations. Moving forwards, he believes strong results are on the cards but remains focused on maximising every opportunity.
“Of course, I can’t predict everything. I’ll try to be really strong, but still, I’m a rookie. We are a good team, I know I’m fast, I have speed, so it’s about just making sure I put everything together and aim for the best result possible.”
