Two Podiums, One Pole and the Fastest Lap: Ben Anh Nguyen Makes a Memorable F4 Comeback
After 231 days away from the F4 cockpit, Nguyễn Hoài Nam Anh secured two podium finishes, one pole position and the fastest lap, making his return a memorable one. The significance of his results becomes even clearer when considering the drivers he directly competed against at Sepang.
On the Race 2 podium of the opening round of the 2026 Formula Trophy Malaysia, Nguyễn Hoài Nam Anh — better known as Ben Anh Nguyễn — stood between Dutch driver Juste Mulder and Romania’s David Cosma Cristofor. All three raced for Evans GP, but they arrived at Sepang with very different development paths.
Ben Anh Nguyen alongside his Evans GP teammates
Mulder brought a strong karting background and experience in Spanish F4. Cosma Cristofor had competed with PREMA Racing, one of the leading names in junior driver development. Ben, meanwhile, entered the battle after a long period away from F4 machinery. Against that backdrop, his second-place finish is a result worth examining from a sporting perspective.
Juste Mulder: Experience Built Up from an Early Age
Mulder is only 15, but he has already gone through an extensive development process. According to his personal website, the Dutch driver began karting at the age of two and a half, winning two Dutch titles and two Benelux championships.
In June 2026, Mulder made his Spanish F4 debut with Monlau Motorsport. He is also supported by Pro Racing Motorsport, a management organization involving former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella. Behind the very young driver is an established system of coaching, technical support and career development.
Juste Mulder (second from left) celebrates his Race 2 victory
At Sepang, Mulder took pole for Race 1, finished second in the opening race and then won Race 2. In the second race, he used the opening corners to overtake Ben and then held his position under pressure from the Vietnamese driver.
This sequence highlighted one of Mulder’s key strengths: his ability to turn outright speed into a practical race advantage. Being fast in qualifying and taking control of a race are two different challenges. Years of karting have helped the young driver develop experience in close-quarters racing, where a split-second decision can change the entire outcome.
David Cosma Cristofor: Experience from a Demanding F4 Environment
Cosma Cristofor was one of the most experienced F4 competitors among the leading group. Evans GP stated that the Romanian driver competed in UAE4 in 2026 with PREMA Racing, scoring two podiums and finishing fifth in the championship before continuing his campaign in Italian F4. This is his second F4 season.
That background makes Cosma Cristofor’s third-place finish in Race 2 a meaningful benchmark for Ben. The Vietnamese driver finished ahead of an opponent already accustomed to international competition and the working processes of a professional racing team.
David Cosma Cristofor finished third
Formula racing requires much more than reflexes behind the wheel. Drivers must accurately describe the car’s behavior to engineers, analyze data, adjust their driving style and maintain performance across multiple sessions. Competing against a driver with Cosma Cristofor’s development background helps put Ben’s result into a clearer context.
Marco Manson: New Zealand Champion Wins Race 1
While the Race 2 Top 3 highlighted two European talents, Race 1 showcased the strength of New Zealand driver Marco Manson of Pinnacle Motorsport.
Manson won the 2026 Formula Ford New Zealand championship, taking victory in all four races at the final round in Taupo. He was subsequently selected by Rodin to take part in an evaluation program aimed at progressing toward British F4. Rodin highlighted speed, consistency, adaptability, technical feedback and professionalism among the assessment criteria.
Marco Manson won Race 1
At Sepang, Manson started fourth in Race 1 but quickly moved through the field, overtaking Mulder to claim victory. In Race 2, a five-second penalty resulted in him being classified fifth.
The two results also demonstrated the fine line between effective aggression and a situation that comes at a cost. For Ben, this provided a practical lesson: to win, a driver needs to be proactive in battles while keeping his decisions within the boundaries of the sporting regulations.
Ben Has the Speed; The Next Step Is Turning It into Wins
The numbers from Sepang show that Ben was already close to the fastest drivers.
In Race 1 qualifying, he was just 0.133 seconds slower than Mulder, enough to start on the front row. For Race 2, Ben took pole based on the second-fastest qualifying lap. He finished the race second, just 0.521 seconds behind the winner. After the opening round, Mulder had 43 points, Manson 35 and Ben 33.
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Drivers competing at the Sepang circuit
According to the information provided, Ben also set the fastest lap of Race 2 with a time of 2 minutes 11.583 seconds. Pole position and the fastest lap reinforce each other as indicators of his pace: he was capable of producing speed in qualifying and maintaining that pace during the race.
However, the fastest lap alone is not enough to guarantee victory. A driver must also manage the start, choose the right position through the opening corners, create overtaking opportunities and capitalize when an opponent leaves an opening.
Ben himself acknowledged that he had not been aggressive enough. That assessment is valuable: he has identified the gap he needs to close between being fast and actually securing P1.
An F1 Weekend Adds Significance to the Competition
The opening round of the Formula Trophy Malaysia took place from October 2 to 4 as part of the support programme for the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang. Organizers confirmed that the young drivers competed in front of spectators and F1 teams.
Ben Anh Nguyen alongside fellow competitors
The quality of the field was also reflected in the drivers taking part. Alongside Mulder, Cosma Cristofor and Manson, the entry list included drivers with experience in British, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Australian F4. Aaron Mehta had taken pole on his F4 India debut, while Ginevra Panzeri had already recorded a Top 6 finish in French F4.
That is why Ben’s two podiums carry added weight — because of the strength of the drivers he faced on track. After 231 days without driving an F4 car and with only around a year of experience in this type of machinery, the Vietnamese driver returned to competitive form at the front of the field.
Ben Anh Nguyen’s two podium finishes are particularly significant, as he demonstrated his ability against several highly accomplished young European drivers.
Sepang did not deliver Ben’s first victory, but it provided a solid foundation for him to pursue that goal: race-winning pace, consistent results across two races and a clear understanding of the skills he still needs to develop.
Those are encouraging signs on his journey toward becoming a professional racing driver.
Source: giaitri.thoibaovhnt.com.vn | Copy Link
