McLaren junior Van Langendonck secures British F4 title

McLaren junior Dries Van Langendonck has secured the British Formula 4 title with two races to spare after finishing second in the opening race at Brands Hatch. 

The Belgian headed to Kent with a commanding 72-point advantage and was on the brink of adding another crown to the Formula Winter Series championship he claimed over the winter.

He qualified second for the first race and challenged polesitter, Hitech GP's Theo Palmer, into Paddock Hill Bend but was unable to find a way through.

Palmer then streaked clear to win by almost four seconds but Van Langendonck remained in the runner-up spot throughout, which was more than enough for him to secure the title.

The new champion described 2026 as an "amazing year" and added: "I think we've done a really good job and the best job of everyone.

"I just tried to enjoy it and there wasn't too much pressure, although I was a bit nervous."

Van Langendonck - who was signed to quadruple Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen's new management stable during this year - was the driver to beat for much of the season, despite British F4 featuring a record grid of over 30 cars at many rounds.

Dries van Langendonck, Rodin Motorsport

Photo by: Rodin Motorsport

He originally made an impact upon his debut at Donington Park last August when he took a double pole on his 15th birthday and won the third race.

Van Langendonck continued that form into the early part of this season, winning four races at the first five events while his rivals lacked consistency with only three other drivers triumphing more than once in that time.

However, Van Langendonck's title bid threatened to be derailed when he was given a one-event ban for the second Donington event having accumulated 12 penalty points on his licence earlier in the campaign.

But closest rival, JHR Developments' impressive rookie Lewis Wherrell, was unable to capitalise with Van Langendonck retaining a four-point lead despite his Leicestershire absence.
He returned in some style at the subsequent event at Croft when he took two wins from pole and a sixth to reestablish a comfortable buffer at the head of the standings.

The title rivals started alongside each other on the grid for the opening race at the penultimate Silverstone weekend but, although Wherrell grabbed the lead off the line, he was challenged by Van Langendonck into Copse after a safety restart and the Briton skated off into the gravel having attempted to brave it around the outside on the marbles, which effectively ended his bid.

With Van Langendonck triumphing in that race and also winning the third contest in Northamptonshire, he built a commanding points lead and second in the Brands opener was therefore enough for him to clinch the spoils.