Van Hoepen impresses in F3: 'Formula 1 dream is getting closer'

In the shadow of Max Verstappen, a young Dutchman is currently creating a furore in an important step-up class to Formula 1. Debutant Laurens van Hoepen (18) has already made quite an impression - even on F1 teams- with two podium finishes in the opening two weekends of the Formula 3 season and is already cautiously applying for a step up. "Next year Formula 2, then become champion and the year after that Formula 1. That's the dream, of course."

It is probably a character trait of the real top drivers. Looking back on his first race weekends in F3, Laurens van Hoepen initially mainly talks about how he should actually have won the sprint race in Bahrain (Van Hoepen finished second, ed.) "That was just stupid of me," he says critically. And then: "That second race (fifteenth in the main race, ed.) I could have done better. But it was more difficult with the damage to the front wing I sustained already at the start."

Anyone hearing Van Hoepen talk would almost think that his season got off to a dramatic start. The opposite is true. A second place in Bahrain was followed by a handsome third place in Australia's sprint race and a 13th place in the main race. The latter, by the way, was quite explainable, as Van Hoepen drove that race on used tyres. After some questioning, the youngster says: "No, of course I'm happy with it. It's more that I start from pole in Bahrain, I'm super fast, and then I don't win. But definitely, I'm happy with the start of my season."

Van Hoepen confident

Surprised by the excellent start to the season, Van Hoepen is not. Already in the pre-season tests with his team ART, things were going well. "Then you just know, you're in," he says. Even if it is only his first season in the series. "It's a strong point of mine, when I get in somewhere or am on a new track, that I'm fast right away. So that's why I didn't really expect it to be difficult. Of course, there are still a lot of areas for improvement and I can learn a lot. But the start is normally always good with me."

He is currently eighth in the championship, although Van Hoepen says that says little. "I think there is a lot more in it than eighth. You have to do it though. After the last race in Monza, then we will know where I stand. However, it is also not entirely fair to look only at the numbers. This is a championship in which so many things can happen."

"In a feature race, you can be in the lead for 22 laps and drop out on the last lap. And then suddenly you're 12th in the championship instead of sixth; that's how small the differences are. I think it really is a mega-fun championship. Especially because you are competing on the Formula 1 weekend. For example, we also have DRS and more things that F1 also has. Of course, the level of the championship is really huge."

Van Hoepen's performance stands out

Ultimately, F3 is all about that one goal: reaching Formula 1, often via Formula 2. That becomes realistic when you perform as a driver. Van Hoepen notices so early in the season that his performances stand out. Then teams and team bosses like to have a chat with you. " Yes, certainly from the F2 paddock and even from the paddock above it (Formula 1, ed)," says Van Hoepen. "In the F3 paddock, you meet a lot. Then you talk a bit; about how things are going and so on."

In ART anyway, Van Hoepen has a team that is also active in Formula 2. Théo Pourchaire won the F2 title with the French in '23. Moving on to Formula 2 already after the current season with ART, Van Hoepen calls it "definitely a possibility". To say: 'If things keep going well, I want to drive in F2 next year one hundred per cent for sure. My speed will never be the problem, other things play a role as well."

Formula 1 teams see Van Hoepen perform

A lightning career beckons for the young Dutchman, who does not currently belong to the academy of a Formula 1 team. Whether that will change anytime soon? "Ehh, I can't say very much about that. Of course, you do have conversations with people, but it's not so direct of, 'Well, join us in the junior team right now, because of course that involves a lot of things, like sponsorship as well."

Not being attached to a Formula 1 team has an advantage at this point in his career, according to Van Hoepen, because he has all the freedom to choose a follow-up step himself. "Suppose a spot opens up next year in Formula 2 and I want to go there, I can say, 'OK, I will'. And if you're at Red Bull or McLaren, they can say, 'We want you to do another year of F3'. So that's a disadvantage. On the other hand, a lot of good things come from belonging to an F1 team; they sponsor you, for example, and you can sit in the simulator with them. Maybe even do an F1 test."

Besides Max Verstappen - with whom Van Hoepen recently played Padel - a second Dutchman in Formula 1. Van Hoepen gets a big grin on his face when he thinks about the prospect: "As a child, you already want to get into Formula 1. Then when you walk into that paddock now, you think, 'Wow, it's getting closer'. Everything revolves around how I perform. Next year Formula 2, then become champion and the year after that Formula 1. Of course, it's almost impossible to do, you have to stay realistic. But of course that is the dream."