Championship makers

From pioneer Huub Rothengatter to global star Max Verstappen. From 19 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the Louwman Museum in The Hague presented the anniversary exhibition CHAMPION MAKERS – 50 years of Van Amersfoort Racing.

The exhibition paid tribute to the Dutch racing team that over half a century grew into an international breeding ground for motorsport talent and a proven springboard to Formula 1. Visitors took a journey through fifty years of motorsport history, told through iconic racing cars that together show the evolution of Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR), from the first Formula Ford from 1975 to todays modern F2 machines.

The cars were discovered 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 showed how VAR has shaped, guided and inspired generations of drivers on their way to the top of the world.

Springboard to Formula 1

Many drivers who began their careers at VAR or took an important step there went on to reach the highest level in motorsport. Among them Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson and Mick Schumacher, who are competing in Formula 1 this season.

MAKERS OF CHAMPIONS was 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 made their dreams come true. This exhibition was unmissable if you love motorsport, want to discover the history of global stars like Max Verstappen, or are simply curious how young talents find their way to Formula 1.

Lineup of the exhibition:

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, championship car German F3
2014 Formula 3, Max Verstappen, the same chassis as Charles Leclerc
2021 Formula 4, Oliver Bearman
2022 Formula 3, Franco Colapinto
2025 FRECA, Dion Gowda