Getting to know Maarten de Busser

After making its return to the championship this season, MP Motorsport has enjoyed an impressive start to its FIA Formula Regional European Championship campaign, leading the Teams' standings after the first three rounds. Sebastian Wheldon's double victory at Zandvoort, alongside two additional podium finishes, and Alexander Abkhazava's recent second place at Spa-Francorchamps have helped Dutch outfit take the lead in the Teams' Standings.

We caught up with team manager Maarten de Busser to reflect on the team's progress and ambitions for the 2026 season.

FIA Formula Regional European Championship is now officially part of the FIA ladder, and MP Motorsport has a strong presence throughout the feeder series, from Formula 4 to Formula 3 and Formula 2. How does it feel to return to the championship?

We were only away from the series for a short period. As MP Motorsport continues to expand across almost all levels of the single-seater ladder, joining the FIA FREC felt like the logical next step. What we remember from the championship is still very much here. The paddock is familiar, the teams are largely the same, and in many ways it feels like coming back home.

The team is also heavily involved in Formula 2 and Formula 3, sometimes in the same weekends. Is there much synergy between the three programmes? Are you constantly in contact throughout the weekend?

Not really. Everyone is focused on their own responsibilities, and the time difference makes communication more complicated. Of course, we stay in touch with some key people within the organisation, but it's difficult to keep track of everything that's happening simultaneously.

This season you have drivers linked to major development programmes, such as Zenrui Chi with Aston Martin and Sebastian Wheldon with Andretti Global. What is it like working with drivers coming from those environments?

Ultimately, our focus is on the drivers themselves. We don't have much involvement with what happens behind the scenes within the academies. What matters most to us is that the drivers arrive with a professional approach, and you can clearly see that with all three of our drivers. They have been trained properly over the years and the support provided by their respective programmes is evident. For us, it is very beneficial to work with drivers who already have a strong foundation, understand what they want to achieve, and know what is required to perform at this level.

Speaking of drivers, Zenrui Chi returns to the championship after making several appearances last season. Alongside him, Sebastian Wheldon and Alexander Abkhazava are both experiencing the FIA Formula Regional European Championship for the first time. What has the adaptation process been like, particularly with the new Tatuus T-326 car?

I have to say the adaptation was quite quick. We already worked with Alex during the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, so we were able to build some experience together there. His performances in the Middle East were already very encouraging. Sebastian then joined us for the European season, and from that point onwards everything progressed quite smoothly. There haven't been any major adaptation issues, so overall things have been very straightforward so far.

One of the major innovations this season is the introduction of the Race Mode system. How have the drivers adapted to this new feature?

We were introduced to it during pre-season testing and have spent a lot of time analysing how best to use it strategically - when to activate it, where to use it and how long to use it for. Overall, I think it's a very positive addition. It improves the racing and creates more opportunities for strategic variation. That said, it's still very early in the season and we're continuing to learn where the best opportunities lie and how to maximise its effectiveness.

Strategy is obviously a key part of modern racing. What are your objectives for the season?

Looking at our line-up, I think we probably arrive as underdogs, but at the same time the ambition is definitely there. As MP Motorsport competes in most of the feeder series, we're very clear about our objectives. We want to see how far we can go in the championship and maximise the potential of all three drivers. Throughout testing and the opening sessions we've seen all of them running closely together and consistently towards the front of the field. The goal is to maintain that level of performance throughout the season. Of course, the competition is extremely strong, so nothing comes easily, but we're optimistic about what we can achieve.