Hoang Dat Sawer: A shining star of Vietnam's F4 village

The F4 SEA 2025 tournament, held for the first time in Southeast Asia, will take place from May to September 2025, with the participation of 15 racers from 5 professional racing teams.

Vietnamese motorsport fans have just witnessed a historic milestone: Hoang Dat Sawer, a 17-year-old British-Vietnamese racer, won the overall championship of the Formula 4 Southeast Asia 2025 (F4 SEA 2025) in late September. This is the first time a racer of Vietnamese origin has won a tournament under the International Automobile Federation (FIA) system, marking an important step forward for motorsports in the country.

The F4 SEA 2025, the first time held in Southeast Asia, will take place from May to September 2025, with the participation of 15 racers from 5 professional racing teams. Wearing the Evans GP jersey (Australia), Hoang Dat showed outstanding performance right from the opening round. This young man has a series of 6 consecutive leads, achieving 9/14 victories in the races, along with 6 pole positions (leading position) and 9 Fastest Laps (fastest laps), quickly securing the championship with a gap of 94 points before the last 3 rounds.

Born in Ho Chi Minh City to a British father and a Vietnamese mother, Hoang Dat was inspired early on to race by his father, who was a fan of and regularly watched F1. Having taken up go-karting at the age of 10, Hoang Dat was quickly captivated by the tension and excitement that this sport brings.

Go-kart - the "cradle" of many F1 racers such as Schumacher, Hamilton or Vettel - has become a training ground for Hoang Dat's skills, reflexes and courage. From this playground, the young racer gradually became professional, with more than 60 starts at major racetracks in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

"If you want to go further, you have to step up to the Formula classes. I want to challenge myself with higher speeds, more difficult techniques and a more fierce competitive environment. Through the F4 and F3 races, I hope to have the opportunity to be recognized more on the international map, thereby opening up a long-term path" - Hoang Dat expressed.

Entering the international arena, Hoang Dat faced a series of challenges: expensive competition costs, limited training conditions in Vietnam, and competing with opponents who had been trained professionally since childhood. In addition to training and competing abroad, he still returned to Vietnam to complete his studies at an international school. Upon returning home, the young racer continued to practice through simulation sessions.

Thanks to his persistent efforts, Hoang Dat made his mark at F4 India 2023 with a victory at the Madras circuit, finishing the season in 5th place overall. In 2024, despite only competing part-time at F4 China, he still managed to win 2 victories, 1 pole and 1 fastest lap. The owner of the Evans GP racing team also revealed that he was impressed with Hoang Dat from the F4 China race and decided to recruit him.

Hoang Dat and the 2025 Southeast Asia Formula 4 Championship trophy. Photo: F4 SEA

In early 2025, Hoang Dat continued to become the first Vietnamese racer to win points at the Formula Regional Middle East Championship (FRMEC). He also tried his hand at the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia and finished 4th at the Inje Speedium racetrack (Korea).

Hoang Dat always considers Max Verstappen (Germany) as his idol, an example that inspires him to conquer this speed sport. Besides, he also follows Hamilton or Leclerc, especially Asian racers who have reached the biggest stage.

Hoang Dat said he received interview invitations at several F3 racing teams for next year: "Everyone dreams of advancing to F3, F2, and then further to F1, but I know this path is very thorny and requires steady steps."

During the races at F4 SEA, Hoang Dat always carried the Vietnamese flag with him. This is also an unforgettable memory for the young racer: "Holding the Vietnamese flag, I feel very proud, like bringing my whole homeland to the podium of glory. That feeling reminds me of all the difficulties I have gone through and the support of my family, teachers, and team."

Hoang Dat admits that fame brings new opportunities but also puts more pressure on his shoulders, having to balance between studying, competing and personal life.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/hoang-dat-sawer-ngoi-sao-sang-cua-lang-f4-viet-nam-196251004203710212.htm