Chris Dittmann Racing will welcome USA National Karting Champion Alexander Vanchev to its British F4 line-up for the season finale at Brands Hatch this weekend, marking his first race appearance in the championship.
The Bulgarian-American driver, who hails from Florida, USA, will take over the seat vacated by Henry Mercier as the team heads to the Kent circuit’s Grand Prix layout for the final three races of the 2026 campaign on October 10–11.
Alexander brings a successful karting background to his Formula 4 debut, having secured seven national titles in the United States. His appearance at Brands Hatch will mark an important step as he begins translating that experience into car racing.
Having already completed several days of testing with Chris Dittmann Racing, Alexander will now experience his first competitive Formula 4 weekend. He will participate in test day at the circuit on Wednesday to gather experience, giving him additional time to familiarise himself with the car and continue building his working relationship with the team.
The outing will provide an opportunity to gain valuable experience of a British F4 race weekend, from preparing for qualifying to managing the demands of racing in a closely contested field. With three races on the programme, Alexander will have several opportunities to put the lessons from testing into practice.
Joining the championship at its final round presents a significant challenge, with Alexander lining up against drivers who have spent the season developing their understanding of the cars. However, his existing experience with the team and testing mileage will provide a useful foundation as he begins that learning process.
The appearance also comes as Chris Dittmann Racing evaluates options for its 2027 campaign, with both parties looking to build on their work together in testing.
The team arrives at Brands Hatch encouraged by Tommy Harfield’s victory at Silverstone last time out. A strong start and an assured performance helped him secure the team’s first win of the season, delivering a welcome reward for the pace shown throughout the year.
That result provides a positive backdrop to Alexander’s arrival, as the team aims to finish its campaign strongly while helping its newest driver settle into competitive action.
Chris Dittmann, Team Principal:
“We’re pleased to welcome Alexander to the team. He’s undertaken five or six days of testing with us already, so he knows the team and the car, but this will be his first race with us and his first in F4.
“It will be a steep learning curve, but I’m sure it will be a really positive experience for him. We’ve prepared him as well as we can. Taking part in the test on Wednesday ahead of the weekend will mean he can lap the track in similar weather conditions to those expected during the race weekend, so it will help ease the learning curve.
“We’re excited to see how he gets on, and he’s looking forward to it.”
Alexander Vanchev:
“I’m thrilled to join Chris Dittmann Racing for the final round of the British F4 season. The team is a well-established operation in the single-seater world, and it’s exciting to be able to make my debut with them.”
