Exhibition at the Louwman Museum: CHAMPION MAKERS – 50 Years of Van Amersfoort Racing

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Press release

From pioneering driver Huub Rothengatter to global superstar Max Verstappen. From 19 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the Louwman Museum in The Hague presents the anniversary exhibition CHAMPION MAKERS – 50 Years of Van Amersfoort Racing.

The exhibition celebrates the Dutch racing team that, over half a century, has grown into an international breeding ground for motorsport talent and a proven springboard to Formula 1. Visitors embark on a journey through fifty years of racing history, told through iconic racing cars that collectively show the evolution of Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR), from the first Formula Ford in 1975 to today’s modern F2 machinery.

Discover the cars in which drivers such as Huub Rothengatter, Marcel Albers, Jos Verstappen, Tom Coronel, Bas Leinders, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto and Dion Gowda achieved their first successes. The exhibition reveals how VAR has shaped, guided and inspired generations of drivers on their path to the very top of global motorsport.

A Launchpad to Formula 1 Many drivers who began their careers at VAR, or made a crucial step there, reached the highest level in motorsport. Among them are Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson and Mick Schumacher, who are active in Formula 1 this season.

CHAMPION MAKERS is a tribute to fifty years of passion, craftsmanship and talent development—to the people behind the success of Van Amersfoort Racing, and to the drivers who turned their dreams into reality. This exhibition is not to be missed if you love motorsport, want to discover the history of global stars such as Max Verstappen, or simply want to learn how young talents find their way into Formula 1.

Exhibition line-up:

• 1975 Formula Ford 1600, Huub Rothengatter
• 1976 Formula 3 March, Huub Rothengatter
• 1989 Formula Ford, Marcel Albers
• 1992 Opel Lotus, Jos Verstappen
• 1994 Opel Lotus, Tom Coronel
• 1998 Formula 3, Bas Leinders, German F3 championship car
• 2014 Formula 3, Max Verstappen, same chassis as Charles Leclerc
• 2021 Formula 4, Oliver Bearman
• 2022 Formula 3, Franco Colapinto
• 2025 FRECA, Dion Gowda

For more information about this exhibition, please visit www.louwmanmuseum.nl/kampioenenmakers.

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