Van Amersfoort Racing 2025 Season Preview: Targeting a charge up the order

28 February 2025

A slip back in the Standings in 2024 from seventh to 11th, Van Amersfoort Racing will be aiming for an improved points total in 2025 as they look to move up the table once again.

The Dutch squad have enlisted John Bennett and Rafael Villagómez for the upcoming campaign, both aiming to build on their own scoring results from last year.

With just a couple of weeks to go until the racing begins in earnest this season, what can we expect from Van Amersfoort and what will the team be able to achieve with their two drivers?

John Bennett’s late-season F2 debut in 2024 was a crucial benefit to the British driver, and he made the most of the opportunity. He kept himself out of trouble and was able to capitalise on rivals’ misfortune to achieve a points finish, P8 in the Lusail Feature Race.

He then remained with the team for the season finale but couldn’t add another scoring result, though the chance to have driven two rounds ahead of his full-time debut will be a pivotal tool from which he can learn from this year.

Logging mileage with Van Amersfoort across post-season testing also, Bennett has already begun to embed himself into the team, another factor that should help his adaptation to the Championship.

Bennett is getting ready for his first full season in Formula 2 after doing the final two rounds with VAR

During the three-day Yas Marina test, Bennett posted a best time of 1:36.310, ending up 15th in the order on the morning of Day 3 when that time was set. He logged a total of 287 laps across the event, so got a good feel for the F2 car, and how the VAR team work, which should help him further adapt to the Championship ahead of 2025 getting started.

It will be interesting to see how quickly he can make improvements and find his feet properly in F2 having been parachuted in late in 2024. With a full pre-season of preparation along with his previous F2 experiences under his belt, Bennett has some extra preparation that other rookie drivers may have lacked in the past that may pay dividends in the end.

On the other side of the garage, Rafael Villagómez returns for a second season of FIA Formula 2 racing after a solid building year as a rookie in 2024. The Mexican driver secured multiple points finishes and missed the chequered flag in just five races. That mileage and experience will come into play this season as he aims to increase his points total this time around.

Two early season points finishes in Feature Races made for a good start, however a tough spell in the middle of the year curtailed that momentum. He will be eager to ensure that he can sustain brighter patches of form in 2025.

Another big positive for him will be the years’ worth of experience with the team. Having become used to how the team works, the best ways of getting performance out of himself, the car and the team, Villagómez now knows what to expect. With the calendar also remaining untouched from last year, there will be a season’s worth of data to rely upon this time around.

Villagómez is preparing for his second Formula 2 season with VAR

Like Bennett, having post-season to immediately test items and findings from the 2024 season will have been a useful tool for Villagómez and the wider team in preparations for 2025. Putting learnings into practice this year will hopefully bring more consistency for both parties as they aim to climb the Teams’ Standings.

The goal is clear for VAR as they aim to move up the Standings and achieve points finishes on a much more regular basis. The team is more than capable, race winners in 2024 of course in the hands of Enzo Fittipaldi in Jeddah.

With their winter work, the Dutch squad will be eager to put learnings and lessons into practice from the word go. Positive races for Villagómez early in 2024, including points at Albert Park, will be a strong platform to build from this year. With increased experience for the Mexican driver, always a valuable asset to any driver, the bar should rise this year.