When Oleksandr Bondarev crossed the finish line at Cremona to seal the FIA Karting European Championship in the OK Junior class, he didn’t become just an ordinary champion. He also became the protagonist of a comeback story that has sent a shockwave through the world of karting and into the world of junior single-seaters.

By Jake Sanson

Following in the footsteps of Sebastian Vettel, Nyck de Vries, George Russell, Alex Albon and Lando Norris, Bondarev not only became the first driver from Ukraine to triumph at such a high level of karting but also did so a year after suffering one of the heaviest injuries in recent karting history.

His renaissance has been nothing short of spectacular, and in the eyes of some, he has the potential to go all the way to the top of the sport with a determined and inspirational attitude. The manner in which he finished on the podium in all four European events this year demonstrated the raw potential of a driver who keeps getting better each season he drives.

“I was very nervous during the final race of the year,” he told TKART at Cremona. “But it feels so great to come back and win the European championship in this way. We only competed in this class this year because missing half of last year, I felt I wasn’t finished at this level. I think the crash has actually made me stronger.”

When he first appeared on the European circuit outside of his native Ukraine, he was an unknown privateer working closely with Andriy Honta, who saw that Bondarev had a spark in him from a very young age. In the 2021 European Championship, Bondarev failed to make the final at Genk but managed to do so at Aunay-Les-Bois before scoring points in the finals at both Sarno and Zuera.

He also represented Ukraine in the Academy Trophy in 2021, finishing on the podium at Adria and third overall in the standings, before reaching the final in the world championships at Campillos. Considering that this was the same championship in which Esteban Ocon failed to score a point, Bondarev was already in good stead.

Ricky Flynn, who helped kickstart the careers of 20% of the current F1 grid, saw something special in Bondarev. He was expected to be strong when he made the switch to RFM, and he proved as such with early speed and pace. He became WSK Super Master Series champion in OKJ straight out of the blocks in March and was battling for supremacy at Zuera in the FIA Karting European Championship when disaster struck.

After tangling with a competitor, he was hit head on by another driver whilst stationary on the main straight – an impact with devastating consequences. Bondarev suffered a compound fracture on his leg and underwent 10 surgeries at the Quirónsalud hospital in Barcelona.

On his 10th day in hospital, his mother bought him a Lego set to keep his spirits up. By the time of his return home after 10 weeks in medical care, he had completed enough Lego sets for a small museum, building everything from racing cars to football stadiums and even a replica of the Titanic.

His return to racing would be slow, as the initial indicators of even his ability to walk unassisted were concerning. But he persevered and returned to the track in the autumn of 2022, shortly after the OKJ world championship in September.

He had plenty of options open to him with various teams for 2023, but he ultimately chose to work with Dino Chiesa and the Kart Republic team despite the fact it would not be one of the easiest routes.

Knowing he would be working with and competing against several equally fast teammates, he took on the challenge with incredible focus and resilience.

“I never doubted I could return,” he explains. “I always knew I would return to the sport and I would drive again. Everyone told me that this would just make me stronger, and they were right. This is an achievement for every member of my team and my family. We did this together, and we made this happen.”

Bondarev pushed over the winter to increase his pace and focus, but a tough weekend in the Champions of the Future changed everything. After falling from the front to the back in the final, an exhausted Bondarev was overcome with emotion and despair. But his transformation after regrouping with coach Sam Webster and mechanic José Cabo and joining WH Sports Group has been quite awe-inspiring.

Second in Valencia set the wheels in motion for Bondarev to begin his conquest, but with back-to-back victories in Třinec and Rødby followed by a hard-fought third position at Cremona, he finally achieved his ambition and became European champion – the first racing driver from his nation to win a major title in FIA Karting.

The breakthrough victory at Třinec in the Czech Republic was a particularly emotional affair as competitors from multiple teams wanted to witness the podium ceremony to share in Bondarev’s triumph. It quickly earned him the nickname “the Phoenix” even though a humble Bondarev isn’t entirely sure if he likes the moniker.

His strength and resilience belies the adverse circumstances he’s faced over the last few years – both the injury and the turmoil unfolding in his and his family’s home nation of Ukraine. The circuit where he grew up, Autodrome Chaika, was devastated by a nearby bombing as the conflict intensified last winter, and Ukraine faces ever-increasing strife as the Russo-Ukrainian War continues. These events may crush his spirit – but they have also spurred him on in his pursuit of glory.

“I think we have improved in all aspects of the sport this year,” he told the FIA Karting broadcast team at Cremona. “The crash last year actually gave me time to prepare myself for this year, and the situation back home has also helped me a lot in terms of my form, my determination. I want the world to see what Ukrainians can really do.”

And more and more Ukrainians believe in what their Sasha can do.

Bondarev’s support base has massively accelerated both in his native Ukraine and across European motorsport ever since his win at Třinec. The world of karting too has been waiting for a fairy tale of this magnitude for decades, and after the awful stories regarding Luca Corberi and Artem Severiukhin that put karting in the public eye for all the wrong reasons, it’s comforting to see the sport giving the world a story in which it can take pride.

“I’m still in shock, still can’t believe it,” Bondarev said upon becoming champion. “But as I’ve said many times, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates who helped me a little bit in every single round, so I’m extremely happy with everyone who helped me. Now we move on to prepare for the world championship.”

Bondarev would dearly love to become the first driver since Enaam Ahmed in 2014 to win both the European and world OKJ titles in the same year, but there’s also a future beyond Franciacorta in October to consider. 2024 is likely to yield a year in OK, but with several drivers of late switching to gearbox karting for their final season of competition – following in the footsteps of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc – there’s another path for Bondarev to follow. His mentality and determination would be a neat fit for the KZ and KZ2 classes, and the chance to win there must be irresistible.

One thing seems certain – in 2025, he will be one of the most eagerly anticipated and exciting young talents set for Formula 4. Plus, with Formula One teams like Alpine, McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes all guiding top karting talents through the world of racing, it’s almost a given that one of those teams will be putting Bondarev on their roster soon.

Header photo credit: Vinyi Arnau