Frederik Vesti Bio
Frederik Vesti Stamm, born on 13 January 2002, is a Danish racing driver competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Cadillac Whelen. He also serves as a reserve driver in Formula One for Mercedes. Vesti is recognized for an impressive record in junior single-seater racing, including being the inaugural champion of the Formula Regional European Championship and the 2023 Formula 2 runner-up.
Across his career, Vesti has competed in karting, Formula 4, Formula Regional, FIA Formula 3, and FIA Formula 2 before transitioning to sports car racing in Europe and the United States. He holds the record for the most points scored in FIA Formula 3 history with 284.5 points.
Early Life and Background
Frederik Vesti was born in Vejle, Denmark, on 13 January 2002. His father, Peter Vesti, runs a car sales company called Vesti El Biler. Growing up in Denmark gave Vesti early exposure to motorsport, and the family connection to the automotive industry helped nurture his interest in racing from a young age.
Vesti started karting competitively in 2012 at the age of ten. He went on to win multiple Danish karting competitions, including the Danish championship in the KFJ category in 2014. He raced in the 2015 Karting World Championship, finishing 69th overall, and continued karting through 2016 before transitioning to single-seater racing.
Path to Motorsport
Vesti began his single-seater career at the age of fourteen in Danish Formula Ford, finishing fourth in the championship. In 2017, he competed in both the German and Danish Formula 4 Championships. Despite missing two events of the Danish series, he finished second overall, taking all race results as podium finishes and helping his family team, Vesti Motorsport, win the team championship.
In 2018, Vesti moved to Van Amersfoort Racing for the German F4 Championship. He claimed two wins during the season, including his maiden victory at the second Hockenheimring round and another at the Nürburgring, finishing fourth in the standings. That year he also made appearances in the Italian F4 Championship, the European Formula 3 Championship, and the Macau Grand Prix, where he finished fifteenth.
Frederik Vesti Career
Early Career (2019)
In 2019, Prema Powerteam signed Vesti to compete in the inaugural Formula Regional European Championship. He dominated the series, claiming 13 victories, including six consecutive wins, and finishing on the podium 20 times. Vesti secured the championship with 467 points, finishing 131 points ahead of teammate Enzo Fittipaldi, and helped Prema win the team title.
At the end of the 2019 season, Vesti returned to the Macau Grand Prix as a replacement for an injured driver at Prema, finishing tenth. Motorsport.com later ranked him thirteenth in their top 20 junior single-seater drivers of 2019, marking him as one of the most promising talents in the feeder series ladder.
Formula Regional and F3 Breakthrough (2020-2021)
Vesti progressed to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing in 2020, partnering Oscar Piastri and Logan Sargeant. He took his first series victory at the Red Bull Ring after securing pole position, then added wins at Monza and Mugello later in the season. His strong finish saw him end the year fourth in the standings with 146.5 points, just 17.5 behind champion Piastri.
In 2021, Vesti moved to ART Grand Prix for his second FIA Formula 3 campaign. He claimed a single win that year at the Red Bull Ring and added multiple podium finishes. He repeated his previous year’s result by finishing fourth in the championship, ending with one pole position, one victory, and four additional podiums.
FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022-2023)
Vesti stepped up to FIA Formula 2 with ART Grand Prix in 2022 alongside Théo Pourchaire. After a difficult start, he scored his maiden F2 victory in Baku by capitalizing on a mistake from Jehan Daruvala during a late safety car restart. Vesti finished the year ninth in the standings with 117 points, recording one win, one pole, and five podiums.
For 2023, Vesti joined Prema Racing alongside Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman. He delivered a stunning campaign, taking six race wins, ten podiums, one pole position, and three fastest laps. Despite scoring the most victories of any driver that season, he finished second in the championship, missing out on the title by eleven points to Pourchaire.
SportsCar Racing and Formula One Reserve Role (2024-2025)
In January 2024, it was announced that Vesti would make his sports car racing debut in the European Le Mans Series with the LMP2 class, racing alongside Alejandro García and Ferdinand Habsburg. He scored two podiums during the season, including second place at Paul Ricard and third at Portimão, finishing ninth in the LMP2 standings with 34 points. He also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Cool Racing and competed at the 24 Hours of Spa, though both endurance events ended with retirements.
For 2025, Vesti signed with Whelen Cadillac Racing to compete in the endurance rounds of the IMSA SportsCar Championship alongside Earl Bamber and Jack Aitken. The trio won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Petit Le Mans, finishing the season second in both the overall standings and the Michelin Endurance Cup. Vesti continued his role as Mercedes Formula One reserve driver in 2025, sharing duties with Valtteri Bottas, and participated in free practice sessions at the Bahrain Grand Prix and Mexico City Grand Prix.
Driving Style and Strengths
Vesti is regarded for his race craft and ability to extract performance from alternate tire strategies, particularly during safety car restarts. His six wins during the 2023 Formula 2 season demonstrated consistency across different track types, from street circuits like Monaco to high-speed venues such as Monza and Yas Marina. Teammates and engineers have noted his analytical approach and willingness to adapt, traits he has carried into prototype sports car racing with Cadillac.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Vesti’s signature performances are his lights-to-flag victory in the 2023 Monaco Formula 2 feature race and his dominant sprint race win at Silverstone that same year, where he crossed the line 13 seconds ahead of the field. He also holds the FIA Formula 3 record for most career points with 284.5, a testament to his consistent results across multiple seasons in the category.
Frederik Vesti Career Wins
Frederik Vesti has built a strong record of victories across multiple racing categories, with his highest-profile successes coming in junior single-seaters and prototype sports car racing. His career includes championship titles, race wins in Formula Regional, FIA Formula 3, and FIA Formula 2, and endurance victories in IMSA.
Formula 2 Highlights
Vesti scored six race wins during the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship season, more than any other driver that year. His first Formula 2 victory came in Baku in 2022, where he capitalized on a late safety car restart to take the lead. His most recent Formula 2 win came at the 2023 Yas Marina sprint race, where he passed Enzo Fittipaldi with three laps remaining.
Formula 3 and Formula Regional Highlights
In FIA Formula 3, Vesti recorded four race wins across the 2020 and 2021 seasons. His three victories in 2020 included wins at the Red Bull Ring, Monza, and Mugello, while his 2021 campaign yielded one win at the Red Bull Ring. Earlier in his career, Vesti dominated the inaugural Formula Regional European Championship in 2019 with 13 victories and the overall title.
IMSA SportsCar Highlights
Vesti secured two endurance race victories during the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship season with Whelen Cadillac Racing. The team won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Petit Le Mans, with these results helping Cadillac finish second in both the overall standings and the Michelin Endurance Cup for the year.
Frederik Vesti Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Vesti was born in Vejle, Denmark, into a family with connections to the automotive industry. His father, Peter Vesti, runs a car sales business called Vesti El Biler. The family operated Vesti Motorsport during his early Formula 4 career in Denmark, supporting his development as a young driver.
Personal Life
As of 2023, Vesti lives in Oxford, England, where he shares a residence with World Endurance Championship driver Olli Caldwell. He maintains an active presence on social media, sharing updates from his racing activities with fans and followers around the world.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Frederik Vesti balance dual commitments as a Mercedes Formula One reserve driver and a sports car racer with Whelen Cadillac Racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. His Formula One duties included free practice sessions at the Bahrain Grand Prix and Mexico City Grand Prix, while he continued to share reserve duties with Valtteri Bottas throughout the year.
In IMSA, Vesti raced the endurance rounds of the championship alongside Earl Bamber and Jack Aitken in the Cadillac V-Series.R. The team faced early setbacks, including a crash at the 24 Hours of Daytona caused by rear suspension failure, but recovered strongly later in the season. The Cadillac trio won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Petit Le Mans, ending the year second in both the overall standings and the Michelin Endurance Cup.
Vesti described his 2025 IMSA campaign as a learning experience, comparing the complexity of the Cadillac V-Series.R to that of a Formula One car. He confirmed during the year that he was in talks with Cadillac for the 2026 season, signaling his commitment to sports car racing as his primary career focus going forward.
