Van Amersfoort Racing continues with Rafael Villagómez for the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship
Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) is pleased to confirm that Rafael Villagómez will continue with the team for the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season, marking his third year in the championship. The Mexican driver will race alongside Nicolás Varrone, completing VAR’s Formula 2 line-up for the year.
The 24-year-old driver began his motorsport career in karting, remaining active until 2019 before making the step into single-seater racing. That transition quickly gained momentum, as he won the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy and went on to score podium finishes in both the French and British Formula 4 Championships during his first full season in cars.
In 2021, Rafael stepped up to FIA Formula 3 and made his debut in the Euroformula Open Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing, where he secured five podium finishes. He continued with the team in FIA Formula 3 across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, while also competing in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, claiming a podium finish in the series. The move to FIA Formula 2 followed in 2024, extending a partnership that has now grown into six consecutive seasons together.
During his rookie Formula 2 campaign, Rafael recorded a best finish of seventh in Melbourne and scored multiple top-ten results. The 2025 season marked an important step forward, highlighted by his first Formula 2 podium in Barcelona, followed by another podium finish later in the year in Qatar.
The team looks forward to continuing its work with Rafael as their long-standing partnership moves into another season. Building on the steps made over the past year, both sides are focused on pushing for stronger results in the 2026 championship.
Brad Joyce – Team Principal, Van Amersfoort Racing:
“We’re very happy to continue with Rafael for 2026. Over the past seasons, he’s shown strong commitment and a clear step forward in performance. The podiums in Barcelona and Qatar were defining moments, but more importantly, they reflect the progress we’ve made together. We’re looking forward to building on that momentum and fighting for the top steps of the podium together.”
Rafael Villagómez – Formula 2 driver, Van Amersfoort Racing:
"I’m extremely excited and grateful to be staying another year in F2 with VAR. Together with the team, we finished the season strongly which gives me great confidence heading into the new year. I can’t wait to get back on track, and work with the team to achieve even stronger results in the upcoming season."
About Van Amersfoort Racing
Van Amersfoort Racing is a professional racing team based in the Netherlands. It was founded by Frits van Amersfoort in 1975. Since then, Van Amersfoort Racing has built a long tradition of supporting up-and-coming drivers on their way to higher levels. Drivers like Max and Jos Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Kevin Magnussen, and Liam Lawson all raced for Frits van Amersfoort's team in the early stages of their careers before making it into Formula 1.