Hundreds of Formula 4 drivers compete around the world in hopes of becoming future F1 stars, but only a few stand out. Here are the 10 drivers who Feeder Series believes shone the brightest in 2025.

By Maciej Jackiewicz

There were a lot of drivers who did not make the cut for the top 10 but still deserve a mention. Some of them include Noah Killion, the Gen2 champion in AU4 in his first year in cars; Ary Bansal, the GB4 champion; and the F4 SEA dominator Alex Sawer.

All editors who covered F4 series this year were invited to nominate for consideration up to four drivers whose main campaign was an F4 series. Drivers on our list are ordered by the number of votes they received in our team’s survey. To accompany their nominations, editors were also invited to contribute citations, which are included below.

10. Heitor Dall’Agnol (Brazilian F4: P1, 243 points)

Dall’Agnol came into Brazilian F4 as a single-seater rookie after winning kart championships in Brazil, including the Copa Brasil de Kart and twice the Campeonato Sul-Brasileiro de Kart. He also finished third in the FIA Karting World Cup in the OK-N class. 

From the first round of the season, Dall’Agnol has been at or near the top of the standings. He won one race at the season opener at Interlagos, and in the next round, he stood on the podium in all three races. The 16-year-old’s good form continued from there, and the Brazilian made the top three on four occasions in the next six races.

In the last two rounds of the season Dall’Agnol did not win any of the races, but nonetheless the 16-year-old driver clinched the title two races to go before the season ended.

Throughout the year, Dall’Agnol tested Eurocup-3 machinery with MP Motorsport and Palou Motorsport. With the latter, he had been entered to compete in the Eurocup-3 round at Jerez but later withdrew. His plans for 2026 are not yet known.

Dall’Agnol came into a Brazilian F4 field teeming with rookies and quickly proved he was a cut above the rest. Even when he wasn’t the fastest, he capitalised on others’ mistakes to maintain a comfortable championship lead all the way to the final round. While not his finest result, his recovery to fifth, just 0.225 seconds off of third, from a mid-race drive-through penalty in race one of round three at Velocitta was perhaps his greatest performance. The raw speed, racecraft and resilience he showed that day is rare and especially promising for his future.

— Michael McClure, head of content

9. Alexandre Munoz (French F4: P1, 247 points; F4 World Cup: DNF)

Munoz made his debut in French F4 in 2024 and finished 17th in the standings with one win to his name, scored in the last round at Circuit Paul Ricard. For 2025, the French driver stayed in the championship, with hopes of taking the title.

The Easter season opener at Nogaro was nearly perfect for Munoz. He won two races and finished the reverse-grid contest in fourth. In round two at Dijon-Prenois, he repeated the same results. All in all, he won four of six races at the beginning of the season.

Despite only taking one further win in 2025 – in the season finale at Le Mans – he could still consider the last four rounds of the year a success as he scored five podiums. Thanks to these consistent results, he was able to clinch the French F4 title with one race to go.

After his main campaign concluded, the 16-year-old took part in the F4 World Cup in Macau, but the weekend did not go as he would have hoped. In the qualifying race, he had to retire because of a suspected engine compressor problem, while a fuel compression issue befell him in the main race. Munoz tested FR Europe machinery with ART in November and December, but his plans for 2026 are not yet known.

One year to learn, one year to win. This is literally the recap of Alexandre Munoz’s French F4 record. Born in 2009, he might have been too young last year, but he has gained maturity and confidence. After a record-breaking season debut, he showed consistency to cruise his way to the French F4 crown despite strong opposition from Jules Roussel. His Macau outing was more chaotic with two crashes and two mechanical failures despite convincing raw pace. However, his speed has impressed ART Grand Prix in FR Europe post-season testing, and the Frenchman will surely be one of the rookies to watch next year should he make the step up.

— Perceval Wolff-Taffus, French F4 editor

8. Jules Roussel (French F4: P3, 186 points; F4 World Cup: P1)

Like Munoz, Roussel started his car racing career in French F4 last year, scoring one podium and finishing 11th overall with 60 points to his name. The French driver likewise decided to stay in French F4 for 2025.

It was clear from the start of the year that he would be a driver fighting for the title. While Munoz impressed with four wins in the first six races, Roussel scored four second places in the two opening rounds. By far, his best round of the season was the only one outside of France, in Spa, where Roussel won two races. Those turned out to be the only two victories he claimed in Europe, though the 19-year-old scored two further podiums, one in Magny-Cours and one in Lédenon. In the end, he finished third in the standings with 186 points.

Roussel was back in the F4 machinery in Macau, where he competed in the F4 World Cup. The famous Macau race was one of his most impressive outings of the year. After starting ninth in the qualifying race, he took advantage of incidents ahead of him and climbed up to second. Roussel then took the win in the main race after his primary rival, Rayan Caretti, crashed. Roussel’s plans for 2026 are not yet known.

A relatively consistent sophomore French F4 season allowed Roussel to head into the finale still in contention for the title. However, a disappointing last two races saw him lose out on the title and second in the championship. However, redemption would come quickly for Roussel. The Frenchman performed brilliantly in his Macau debut, climbing up multiple places in the qualifying race to finish second after starting ninth on the grid. A determined drive on Sunday to take the inaugural F4 World Cup crown was undoubtedly the highlight of his 2025. As he aims to step up to FRegional next year, his commanding win in Macau and a strong French F4 season will make him one to watch.

— Kaylene Lau, F4 World Cup editor

7. Itsuki Sato (Japanese F4: P2, 212.5 points; Indian F4: P7, 63 points*; F4 World Cup: P8)

When the 2025 season came around, Itsuki Sato had already been an established name in Japanese F4. He made his part-time debut in the series back in 2022 and across three years in it had scored only one podium, but this year, he was able to fight for more.

It was clear from the start that Sato excelled at Fuji Speedway. The first five races of the season were held on that circuit, and the Japanese driver won three of them. His high-flying form continued on in the next three rounds, during which the 23-year-old scored two wins and four further podiums.

Up until the season finale, he had been the championship leader, but after an unlucky season finale at Motegi, he finished the year in second overall, with a 6.5-point gap to Tokiya Suzuki, who won the title.

Sato made his racing debut outside of Japan in the third round of Indian F4. In India, he stood on the podium three times, twice as the winner. He also took part in the F4 World Cup and finished in eighth after an eventful main race, while outside single-seaters, he competed in Porsche Carrera Cup Japan, in which he finished sixth overall. In December, he tested Super Formula Lights machinery with Delightworks Racing, but his plans for 2026 are not yet known.

In his third full season in Japanese F4, Sato was the season’s breakout star, taking an early points lead with five wins – including four in a row – and finishing only twice off the podium in the first five rounds. Though Sato was tipped to be the first non-Honda- or Toyota-backed driver to win the title, a late-season charge by Tokiya Suzuki meant he lost out by 6.5 points following a difficult season finale at Motegi. Driving for minnows Kageyama Racing, Sato gave the team its best season to date in addition to being the first driver to give Honda’s and Toyota’s juniors a run for their money. Even though he lost out on the title, Sato was the most consistent driver all season, which will once again prove key if he is to step up to Super Formula Lights. 

— Marco Albertini, F4 CEZ editor

* Partial season

6. Emanuele Olivieri (F4 Middle East: P1, 339 points; Italian F4: P7, 140 points; F4 World Cup: P2)

For this year, Emanuele Oliveri made a switch from AKM Motorsport to R-ace GP after making his car racing debut in 2024 with the Italian outfit. Contrary to last year, his winter preparations did not take place in the Formula Winter Series but in F4 Middle East.

On his first time racing outside of Europe, the Italian surprised everyone. He won nearly half of the races across the season and clinched the championship title in dominant fashion, his gap over second-placed Powell 58 points.

But his main campaign in Italian F4 was more difficult for him and for his team. He scored two podiums in the season opener at Misano and another in round two at Vallelunga, but his next and last podium came only in the penultimate round at Barcelona. Nonetheless, he was the highest-placed R-ace GP driver in the series, finishing seventh with 140 points.

Similarly to most of the drivers mentioned in this article, Olivieri contested the F4 World Cup at Macau. He qualified third on Friday, but on Saturday, he climbed up to the lead of the qualifying race with a great start and did not give it away for the rest of the race. In the main race, however, he was the one overtaken on the start-finish straight, and he concluded his Macau outing with a second-place finish.

He tested FR Europe machinery with R-ace GP, but his plans for 2026 are not yet announced.

This year, Emanuele Olivieri proved that with the right machinery, he’s a force to be reckoned with. He dispatched Nakamura-Berta and Alex Powell – both formidable talents in their own right – en route to a dominant F4 Middle East title, where he finished on the podium all but twice. He stayed with R-ace GP for his Italian F4 campaign, a series in which the French unit has never finished above sixth in the teams’ championship. Nevertheless, he led R-ace to a best-ever third in the teams’ race while snagging seventh in the drivers’ championship himself. Should he stay with the team to step up to FR Europe, a series in which they’ve historically been frontrunners, Olivieri could certainly put up a strong fight at the FRegional level. 

— Calla Kra-Caskey, F4 Middle East editor

5. Sebastian Wheldon (F4 Middle East: P7, 90 points; Italian F4: P3, 256 points; E4: P4, 88 points; F4 World Cup: P4)

This year was the first in European car racing for Sebastian Wheldon, who made the switch after having competed in American single-seater series since 2023. His first race outside of the Americas took place in Formula Trophy UAE in December 2024 with the Prema-run Mumbai Falcons team before he began competing with Prema full-time this year.

The driver from Florida started 2025 in F4 Middle East, scoring a podium in the season opener. It was his only podium in the Emirati-based series, which he finished in seventh overall with 90 points.

His main campaign in Italian F4 went a lot better. He again stood on the podium in the season opener, this time as a race winner. Across the season, he scored five further victories, including three consecutive triumphs in the last round of the season at Misano.

He also finished third in the E4 season opener at Circuit Paul Ricard. He ended that season in fourth with three podiums, including one win at Mugello.

Wheldon also took part in the F4 World Cup. He topped the qualifying session but crashed at the beginning of the qualifying race. Nevertheless, he went on to conclude the main race in fourth from 15th on the grid in one of the most impressive recovery drives of the weekend.

Wheldon tested FR Europe machinery with Prema as well as a USF Pro 2000 car with VRD Racing. His plans for 2026 are not yet known.

Sebastian Wheldon in 2025 was a surprise. There is no way around that. Because oftentimes, drivers from outside of Europe tend to need some time to get used to the tracks and the competitiveness of racing there. Wheldon has fought against time since his birth; it’s in his blood. While he brought in momentum from USF Juniors, the final round of the Formula Trophy UAE already told us everything we needed to know. Wheldon was catapulted into the Italian F4 title fight against his more experienced peers and handled it like a pro. No one would be surprised to see him step up in 2026.

— Francesca Brusa, Italian F4 and E4 editor

4. Gabriel Gomez (FWS: P1, 204 points; Italian F4: P2, 267 points; E4: P2, 134 points)

Gabriel Gomez ended last year’s Spanish F4 campaign with only 13 points to his name. For this year, he switched his main series from Spain to Italy, having signed with US Racing to compete in the 2025 Italian F4 season.

Prior to the Italian F4 season, the Brazilian driver took part in FWS. From the start, he dominated the championship, never dropping below the podium positions in the first three rounds. With three wins and six further podiums, he won the title by 41 points over second-placed Leo Robinson.

Next, he took on his main campaign in Italy, winning four races and ending the year in second place overall. The 19-year-old also contested the E4 Championship and won two races in the opening weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard. He ended that season in second place as well.

After his racing season finished, Gomez tested FR Europe machinery with ART Grand Prix. His plans for 2026 are not yet known.

What a year it has been for Gabriel Gomez. The 19-year-old scored just 13 points in Spanish F4 in 2024, but his switch to US Racing was proven to be the right decision from the get-go. Gomez won the Formula Winter Series title with three wins and six further podium finishes. When others struggled with track limits, Gomez kept his driving clean, and still, he was the one to beat. In Italian F4 and E4 he came runner-up, finishing behind Kean Nakamura-Berta both times, collecting four and two wins respectively. Gomez has tested with FRegional Europe team ART Grand Prix, though his move to any FR-level category depends on budget.

— Finjo Muschlien, Formula Winter Series editor

3. Fionn McLaughlin (FWS: P3, 151 points; British F4: P1, 363.5 points; F4 World Cup: P13)

Following a shootout at Jerez in 2024, Fionn McLaughlin joined the Red Bull Junior Team while still in senior karting. His main campaign for 2025 was chosen to be British F4, but before that, the Irish driver took part in FWS.

The first weekend of FWS ended with a first-ever car racing win for McLaughlin. Later in the season, he got two more wins at MotorLand Aragón. With three further podiums, he ended the season in third overall while securing the rookie championship.

He had to wait a little bit longer for his first British F4 win, which came in round three at Snetterton. But early in the season, he had nonetheless established himself as a title contender with his consistent podium-scoring, and after scoring five wins across the year, he clinched both the overall and rookie titles, becoming the second Irish driver to win British F4.

The Red Bull junior also competed in the F4 World Cup. After a great start to the qualifying race, a heartbreaking crash on the last lap caused him to be classified in 12th. In the main race he climbed up to sixth, but after earning a 30-second penalty, he dropped to 13th. In 2026, he will first race in FR Oceania with Hitech before competing in F3 with the British team.

McLaughlin hit the ground running in 2025 and demonstrated immense natural speed throughout. Though occasional errors crept in – such as his clumsy contact with a bollard at Snetterton that cost him a surefire win – the Irishman held his composure better than even his more experienced championship rivals. His leap to Formula 3 is an ambitious one, but this year has proved that McLaughlin has the raw speed and mentality to put up a fight in 2026.

— Gavin Guthrie, British F4 editor

2. Thomas Strauven (Eurocup-4 SWC: P1, 143 points; Spanish F4: P1, 392 points)

Thomas Strauven made his full-time F4 debut in 2024, which was already a successful year for the Belgian. He got his first car racing win in FWS and a second during the Spanish F4 season opener. For this year, the Belgian driver was back in Spain, switching from Rodin Motorsport to Griffin Core by Campos.

Before the Spanish F4 season started, Strauven started his year in the Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship. Despite winning only two races compared with Jan Przyrowski’s four, Strauven became the inaugural champion of the series with a 25-point gap over the Pole thanks to his consistency.

In the beginning of his main campaign, things were close between him, Przyrowski and MP Motorsport’s René Lammers, but as the season progressed, the gap between Strauven and the rest grew bigger. It was again thanks to the Belgian’s consistency in scoring podiums – throughout the year he stood on the podium 17 times, including 10 times as the winner – that he won the title by more than 150 points over his countryman Ean Eyckmans.

Strauven tested GB3 machinery in late November, but as was reported by Feeder Series back in March, the Spanish F4 champion will stay with Campos for 2026, this time in Eurocup-3. He already took part in the first test with the team’s new Dallara 326 car at Barcelona.

Thomas Strauven’s triumph in Spanish F4 this year is arguably one of the most impressive in recent F4 history. In 21 races, he finished off the podium on only four occasions, with just one of those being a non-score. His surge into winter series championship contention with two wins and a podium at Portimão – a weekend when he capitalised on misfortunes for the then-main title protagonists – served as a sign of things to come. Strauven now steps up to Eurocup-3, and it will be no surprise if he is once again a championship challenger.

— Seb Tirado, Spanish F4 and Eurocup-4 editor

1. Kean Nakamura-Berta (F4 Middle East: P3, 273 points; Italian F4: P1, 342 points; E4: P1, 181 points; F4 World Cup: NC)

Kean Nakamura-Berta made the switch from karting to F4 at the end of 2023. He showed great promise already in his first full year in 2024, winning four races overall, but still split from the Alpine Academy after the year ended.

For this year, Nakamura-Berta decided to stay with Prema Racing, returning to the renamed F4 Middle East before beginning the main season in Italy.

In the Middle East, Nakamura-Berta was regularly the best Prema-run driver on the grid. In the end, he finished the season in third, with one win and nine further podiums – a great foretaste of what was to come in Italian F4. In that championship, he started the season with five wins in a row, clearly establishing himself as the favourite for the title. He still scored regular podiums as the year went on and clinched the championship title with a 75-point gap over Gomez in second once all was said and done.

In E4, the Japanese-Slovak driver also took the title after standing on the podium in every race but one. The 18-year-old’s only unsuccessful event was the F4 World Cup. After qualifying second, he had to retire from the qualifying race because of the opening-lap chaos, while an engine issue put him two laps down in the main race.

Nakamura-Berta tested FR Europe machinery Prema on numerous occasions, but his plans for 2026 are not yet known.

It was a near-perfect year for Kean Nakamura-Berta as he established himself as one of the hot prospects to watch in 2026. He took deserved titles in Italian F4 and E4 and could have made it three from three if he had gotten the edge over Emanuele Olivieri a little more often in F4 Middle East. That said, if you offered him 13 wins and 25 total podiums from 29 races of Italian F4 and E4, I think he would have taken it! Next year will be an exciting one to show how the 18-year-old progresses and whether he enters a fourth year with Prema.

— George Sanderson, GB4 editor

Editors surveyed: George Sanderson, Seb Tirado, Gavin Guthrie, Finjo Muschlien, Francesca Brusa, Calla Kra-Caskey, Marco Albertini, Kaylene Lau, Perceval Wolff-Taffus, Laura Anequini, Anabelle Bremner, Grayson Wallace, Maciej Jackiewicz.

Header photo credit: Dutch Photo Agency