Ben Nguyen Returns to Sepang, Targeting the Formula Trophy Malaysia 2026 Championship Lead
Racing once again for Evans GP, 17-year-old Ben Nguyen aims to maintain his form against an international field.
Two Podium Finishes Build Momentum for the Championship Battle
At the opening round in early October, Ben Nguyen quickly found his rhythm despite having spent around eight months away from racing. He qualified second for Race 1 and secured pole position for Race 2.
Ben finished third and second in the two races, respectively. Notably, in Race 2, he crossed the line just 0.521 seconds behind teammate Juste Mulder and recorded the fastest lap of the weekend with a time of 2:11.583. These results demonstrated that the Vietnamese driver had the pace to compete at the front of the field.
After Round 1, Ben stood third in the championship with 33 points, behind Mulder on 43 and Marco Manson on 35. With just two points separating him from second place, the battle at Sepang promises to be particularly compelling, as the round features three points-scoring races.
An Opportunity to Advance Amid Fresh Challenges
One significant development ahead of Round 2 is Juste Mulder’s absence. According to Evans GP, the championship leader is due to contest the Spanish F4 season finale in Barcelona on the same weekend. This gives Ben an opportunity to close the gap and potentially challenge for the championship lead if results go his way.
Evans GP has entered five drivers for the round: Ben Nguyen, Rafael Vaessen and Aaron Mehta, alongside newcomers Aaryan Singh and Luke Tashi Kaminski. Ben is the highest-placed driver in the team’s line-up following the opening round.
However, the arrival of LN4 Fusion presents a fresh challenge. Making its debut in the series, the team’s line-up includes Oleksandr Bondarev, the 2026 Formula 4 Middle East champion and a race winner in both Formula 4 and Formula Regional. Bondarev is also preparing for the FIA F4 World Cup in Macau, making the Sepang encounter a valuable opportunity to compete against strong opposition ahead of that event.
Preparing for the FIA F4 World Cup in Macau
Following Sepang, Ben Nguyen will join David Cosma Cristofor in representing Evans GP at the FIA F4 World Cup, held as part of the Macau Grand Prix from 19 to 22 November.
With less than two weeks between the two events, the Malaysian round offers Ben an opportunity to maintain his race rhythm and further refine his racecraft in wheel-to-wheel competition. His performance at Sepang will therefore matter both for the championship points at stake and for his preparation for the next challenge.
