Andrej Petrovic is a highly talented driver who made a name for himself by winning the ROTAX World Karting Championship at the end of last year. Petrovic’s victory was nothing short of remarkable, as he clinched the grand final in Bahrain despite starting from 23rd position. This season, we’ve had the opportunity to watch him compete in the Saudi Arabian F4 Championship, and he is currently racing in both the Italian F4 Championship and the European series.
How did Andrej begin his journey in the racing world? After becoming a world champion, Petrovic shared his story with Kurir:
“I’ve always been a sporty child, training a lot and enjoying trying new things. When I was seven, my dad asked me if I wanted to go karting. I didn’t even know what it was! But I decided to give it a try, and I loved it from the start. I began training three times a week, and within a year, we bought our own go-kart and started racing in Serbia. In my first year, I finished third in the Serbian championship and won other competitions. From there, we moved on to the international stage when I was just nine years old.”
Like most professional motorsport, high level karting can be very expensive, and securing suitable sponsors is crucial. Andrej managed to save money because his father also served as his mechanic. His talent, dedication, and results caught the attention of ALTA Bank, which proudly sponsors him. With the support of this sponsor, Petrovic achieved the vice-championship title in the Saudi Arabian F4 Championship. Andrej was eager to compete in F4, and after getting a chance in a solid championship, his dream soon became a reality.
Andrej Petrovic received an invitation to compete in both the Italian F4 Championship and the European Championship. The opportunity to race in the most competitive F4 championship was offered by PHM AIX Racing, a team founded a few years ago that competes in F3 and F2 in addition to F4. After signing a contract with this team, the young Serbian driver appeared as a guest on the LAP 76 podcast, where he shared his excitement about achieving his dream:
“It was always my goal to race in Italian F4. The Saudi Arabian F4 is good, but it can’t be compared to the Italian series. Competing in both the F4 Italy and the European Championship means I’ll be racing in the strongest championships, which has always been important for me and my team.”
In the 2024 championship, Andrej is also racing against his great friend and rival from his karting days, Andrija Kostić. PHM AIX Racing is a Berlin-based F4 team that inherited the assets of another German team, Mücke Motorsport, which disbanded.
This will also be the largest team Andrej has had the opportunity to race for so far. Petrovic’s contract with the team runs until the end of the season, and his results will determine whether the contract is extended, potentially giving him a chance in F3 or the Formula Regional Middle East Championship. As for his ambitions this season, Andrej has set his sights high:
“My goal is to finish in the Top 3 in F4 Italy, to secure a few victories in the European series, and to fight for the championship.”
Like all drivers who begin their journey in this sport, Andrej’s ultimate dream is to one day race in Formula 1:
“I see myself in F1. It seems far away now, but F4 once seemed far away too, and yet it still came true.”
