Photo: Prema
Van Amersfoort Racing has added Andrea Dupe to its 2026 Formula Regional European Championship line-up.
The 17-year-old Frenchman currently sits 20th in the FRegional Middle East standings with one round to go, having scored one point so far with G4 Racing.
Last year he raced for three different teams in Formula 4 as a single-seater rookie, starting off with AS Motorsport in Formula Winter Series where he came 17th in the points table. He joined PHM Racing for Italian F4 but switched to Prema after three rounds and no points. In the remaining four rounds he scored 20 points to come 22nd in the championship.
Prema also had Dupe in its E4 line-up for two rounds of three, and he failed to score.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining VAR for the upcoming season,” said Dupe. “Stepping up to FREC is a major milestone in my career, and doing it with such a prestigious team makes it even more special. VAR has been a top contender in this category for many years, but what truly stands out to me is the atmosphere—it’s a team where you immediately feel like part of a family. I can’t wait to get started and give my best for the colors of the team.”
VAR’s team principal Brad Joyce commented: “FREC is a demanding step, and we’re looking forward to working closely with Andrea as he prepares for the season and continues his development with the team.”
Also signing contracts with VAR this year are Thomas Bearman and Alexander Ruta, for triple programmes in FWinter Series, E4 and Italian F4. The first of those three is already underway, and the pair sit eighth and 16th in the standings. Bearman, the 16-year-old younger brother of Formula 1 racer Ollie, made the podium in round one.
Both Bearman and Ruta began their single-seater careers last year in FWinter Series, with the former racing for Hitech GP and the latter joining Cram Motorsport then switching to VAR for the final round. They came eighth and 21st respectively in the points table, and Bearman ended the season with his maiden podium.
Racing on home soil followed in British F4, and Bearman finished eighth in the championship. He took one win and one pole, and his tally of four other podiums included one in the non-championship round supporting F1’s British Grand Prix. Late in the year, he contested the FIA F4 World Cup in Macau and finished in the top 10 from 17th on the grid.
Ruta stuck with VAR for E4 and Italian F4, coming 13th in the former and 23rd in the latter. Seventh places were his best results in both championships.