From kart to single-seater: Last season, Joey Alders (18, Netherlands) claimed the title in the Dutch Rotax DD2 class. Now he is all set to make his debut in the cockpit of an ADAC Formula 4 car on the seven race weekends of the 2018 ADAC Formula 4. The 18-year-old from Oudenluis in North Holland demonstrated his talent with fast lap times during successful tests in Barcelona and Valencia, and has now been signed up as a member of the Van Amersfoort Racing squad, a team that has in the past produced drivers such as Jos and Max Verstappen who later graduated to Formula 1.

"It's great to see talented youngsters come through from karting to formula racing," says Jeroen de Jong, Team Principal of the VAR Formula 4 team, who also propelled Australia's Joey Mawson to the ADAC Formula 4 title in 2016. "We are pleased to be guiding Joey as he takes his first steps in formula racing. He made a strong impression during the test days, which is all the more remarkable, as he has never sat behind the wheel of a Formula 4 car before."

Alders is upbeat about his Formula 4 debut: "To be starting my career in single-seater racing with a team such as Van Amersfoort Racing is a great opportunity for me. In my opinion, VAR are the best team in ADAC Formula 4, and the fact that I'm a Dutch driver and they are a Dutch outfit makes it even more special. The experience so far and the professionalism of the team fill me with the necessary confidence. I aim to be in contention right from the start."

Preparations for Alders' race debut are already in full swing. Ahead of the season opener at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben on the weekend of 13th - 15th April, the teenager will test with VAR on different tracks in Europe. When the season proper gets underway, he will have regular training sessions on the simulator at the VAR facilities in Zeewolde.