NICO VARRONE LEAVES VAN AMERSFOORT RACING WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
Nico Varrone has left Van Amersfoort Racing with immediate effect and will not finish the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season. The Argentine driver and the Dutch team have mutually agreed to end their partnership ahead of the Baku round.
Varrone announced the decision on September 17, saying that after an intense year, he and his team had decided not to continue with the 2026 Formula 2 calendar. He thanked Van Amersfoort Racing, his sponsors and supporters, as well as the Villagómez family, which owns the team. Varrone also said that he hopes to announce his future plans soon.
The 2026 season was Varrone’s first full campaign in Formula 2. He had moved back to single-seaters after several successful seasons in endurance racing, where he became a major name in the sports car world.
Varrone entered Formula 2 after winning the LMGTE Am class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023 with Corvette Racing. He also won the LMP2 Pro-Am class at Le Mans in 2024, giving him two consecutive class victories at the famous French race.
His Formula 2 campaign produced 15 points before his departure. His best result was fourth place in the Miami Sprint Race, while he also finished sixth in the Feature Race in Canada. He was 20th in the Drivers’ Championship when he left the series.
Varrone’s departure means that Hiyu Yamakoshi will make his Formula 2 debut with Van Amersfoort Racing in Baku. The Japanese driver has been part of the VAR junior programme since Formula 4 and moved through Formula Regional before joining the FIA Formula 3 team in 2026.
Yamakoshi had a strong rookie season in Formula 3, finishing ninth in the championship with 71 points. He scored three podium finishes during the year, including second places in the Barcelona and Spa Feature Races, and third in the Monza Sprint. He also took pole position at the Red Bull Ring.
Yamakoshi was also involved in the Monaco F3 weekend, where he took victory in the Sprint Race on the road before being disqualified because of a technical infringement. His results across the season earned him a place inside the top 10 of the championship.
The Baku weekend will therefore be a major step for the 19-year-old Japanese driver, who will jump directly from Formula 3 to Formula 2 without having completed a full F2 testing programme. Van Amersfoort Racing said the opportunity will allow him to gain experience at the next level of the single-seater ladder while continuing to work with a team he already knows well.
Varrone’s next career move remains unknown. His background in endurance racing means a return to sports cars remains possible, while reports from Argentina indicate that options for 2027 will now be evaluated before he decides on his next programme.
The 2026 Formula 2 season will continue in Baku from September 24 to 26, with Yamakoshi taking Varrone’s place at Van Amersfoort Racing for the 12th round of the championship.
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