A Weekend to Remember – Matan Achituv Claims his First Formula 4 Podium

At just 14 years old, Matan Achituv has got his first Formula 4 podium. Matan’s latest outing at Formula FARA Round 3 delivered a major milestone: his first career podium in formula cars, placing 2nd place in race 2 and a 3rd place in race 3 after a tricky but strong weekend.

Held at Atlanta Motorsports Park, the event marked another important step in Matan’s rookie season with VRD Racing. Facing a field stacked with talent, including experienced karting graduates and fellow rookies in their late teens, Matan held his own and impressed.

The weekend started with productive practice sessions as Matan learned the new car. The learning curve in formula cars is steep. Martin finished practice day with P1 in all session he competed in.

getting into qualifying the car had an issue making matan unable to finish the session and miss race 1. Still, he qualified P3

When the lights went out, Matan launched cleanly, avoiding early chaos and immediately slotting into a strong position. Over the course of the race, he demonstrated patience when needed and aggression when it counted racing through out Atlanta’s steep hills.

As the laps ticked down, it became clear he was in podium contention, finishing the race in P2.

It was a moment of pure reward—not just for the weekend's work, but for months of hard effort transitioning from karting to cars.

Matan’s podium finish carried extra meaning. As one of the few Israeli drivers competing at this level internationally, and the only one in the series, standing on the podium with the Israeli flag on his suit and helmet was more than just a personal victory—it was a statement.

In a time when Israel is facing immense challenges on the world stage, seeing a young Israeli athlete represent his country in global motorsport is a rare and powerful image. It’s a reminder that even in difficult times, ambition, determination, and excellence can break through.

With every race, Matan grows—not just as a driver, but as a competitor. The goal - keep improving.

And now, with a trophy in hand, the mission is clear: this is just the beginning.