FIA Wera Tools Formula 4 British Championship | Round 1 | Donington Park
Dries Van Langendonck arrived at Donington Park's National Circuit and left with two wins, the championship lead, and a clear message to his rivals. The FIA Wera Tools Formula 4 British Championship's opening round, supporting the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, delivered three races of mounting intensity. By the time the final chequered flag fell on Sunday afternoon, one name was already dominating the conversation.
Off track, a midday driver signing session drew one of the strongest fan responses of the weekend. The queue stretched around the side of the tent as supporters waited patiently for their moment with the grid. Young fans arrived with homemade gifts, crochet dolls stitched in team colours, hand-painted racing car money banks, and personal trinkets that spoke to genuine affection for the drivers. The drivers gave their time generously. It was a reminder of what makes grassroots single-seater racing matter beyond the lap times.
Race 1
Van Langendonck wasted no time. From the front, Car 51 pulled clear of a competitive field and never looked back. Ethan Jeff-Hall pushed hard in Car 25 but could not close the gap, eventually settling for a composed second place that would prove important for his championship tally. Theo Palmer completed the podium in Car 7, rounding out a clean opening race that gave the grid a clear benchmark. Van Langendonck had set his stall out early.
Race 2
If Race 1 had offered a glimpse of the order, Race 2 tore it up entirely. Two yellow flag periods unsettled the field early, but it was the red flag that stopped the race in its tracks. Contact involving Vegard Klemetsen in Car 88, Haarni Sadiq in Car 12, and Adam Al Azhari in Car 3 brought proceedings to a halt and sent the pit lane scrambling.
When racing resumed, just three and a half minutes remained on the clock. Ethan Lennon delivered under pressure, keeping his composure when others could not. Car 32 crossed the line first. Lewis Wherell produced a well-judged, decisive move to claim second in Car 10. Scott Kin Lindblom held his nerve to complete the podium in Car 5.
Race 3
Nothing about Race 3 was straightforward. From the opening laps, incidents mounted across the circuit, the safety car becoming a near-permanent fixture as the field struggled to find clean air and clear track. Three deployments in total. Crashes in multiple sectors. The National Circuit was taking no prisoners.
The most alarming moment came when Tommy Harfield's Car 21 was launched into a heavy slide that nearly put the car on its roof. Harfield was unhurt. Remarkably, officials kept the race alive throughout. No red flag came. The drivers were left to pick their way through and find whatever was left of the race.
Van Langendonck found plenty. Unshaken by the chaos around him, he drove with authority to take his second win of the weekend. Joseph Smith took a well-earned second in Car 15, his measured racecraft giving him a strong foothold in the standings. Ethan Jeff-Hall crossed the line third in Car 25, adding another points finish to a consistent weekend.
Championship Standings
Van Langendonck leads the FIA Formula 4 British Championship on 65 points. Jeff-Hall sits second on 34, his consistency across all three races keeping him well clear of the chasing pack. Smith occupies third on 30, his Race 3 performance suggesting there is more to come. Behind the top three, the standings are tight and the season is long.
Two wins. One statement. The championship has its first frontrunner.
