Ben Anh Nguyễn will become the first Vietnamese driver to compete in the FIA F4 World Cup. — Photo courtesy of Ben Anh Nguyễn

Formula 4

HÀ NỘI Vietnamese teenager Ben Anh Nguyễn will compete in the 2026 FIA F4 World Cup in Macau, China, after finishing runner-up in the Formula Trophy Malaysia 2026.

The 17-year-old will make history as the first Vietnamese driver to compete in the prestigious Formula 4 event, which will take place from November 19 to 22 and feature 24 promising young drivers from around the world.

Nguyễn earned his place in the competition with his runner-up finish in Malaysia earlier this month. He will face a strong field that includes 2026 Italian F4 champion Luka Sammalisto, British F4 champion Dries Van Langendonck and Kasper Schormans, who currently leads the Spanish F4 Championships.

Several drivers from the junior development programmes of Red Bull, Mercedes-AMG and McLaren are also expected to compete.

Speaking about the challenge ahead, Nguyễn said the 6.12km Guia Circuit was one of the world's most demanding street circuits, with tight corners, barriers close to the track and little room for error.

“My biggest goal is to learn the circuit, drive cleanly and finish the race, rather than focus too much on results,” he said.

“Being part of this event is a milestone for me and for Vietnamese single-seater racing.”

Born and raised in HCM City, Nguyễn developed a passion for racing cars at the age of five or six, when he began collecting model cars. Over the years, he studied racing independently and used his Lunar New Year lucky money to build a racing simulator in his room, using it to practise every day for years.

He is now a first-year motorsports engineering student at Purdue University in Indianapolis, the US. He chose to study aerodynamics because he wants to understand and master the workings of a racing car, with the longer-term ambition of designing one himself.

Balancing university studies with F4 racing has brought its own pressures, but Nguyễn sees it as an important part of his development. He has worked with his teachers to coordinate his academic schedule with the international racing calendar, allowing him to pursue both commitments.

After the FIA F4 World Cup in Macau in November, Nguyễn plans to end his F4 campaign and move up to Formula 3 (F3). — VNS