Mexican
Rafael Villagómez (born 10 November 2001 in León, Guanajuato) is a Mexican racing driver who climbed the FIA single-seater ladder through Formula 3 and into Formula 2, and a trailblazer as the first driver from Mexico to compete in FIA Formula 3. He started karting at the age of nine and earned early recognition in 2019, his final karting year, by winning the prestigious Richard Mille Young Talent Academy competition before moving into car racing.
The climb
Villagómez made his single-seater debut in 2020, contesting both the British F4 Championship — where he finished 11th overall — and the French F4 Championship. The defining feature of his career has been remarkable loyalty: his relationship with the Dutch squad Van Amersfoort Racing stretches back to 2021, beginning in Euroformula Open and continuing unbroken through Formula 3 and into Formula 2, a partnership now several years deep.
Formula 3
He stepped up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2021 with HWA Racelab, but endured a difficult rookie year and failed to score, finishing 29th. He then moved to Van Amersfoort Racing for 2022 and 2023, scoring modest points hauls (25th overall in both seasons) in line-ups that at various points featured the likes of Franco Colapinto and Reece Ushijima.
Formula 2
In 2024 Villagómez graduated to the FIA Formula 2 Championship, staying loyal to Van Amersfoort Racing for what was by then a fourth straight year with the team. His rookie F2 campaign yielded a best finish of seventh at Melbourne and 24th in the standings as he found his feet at the category's quicker, more physical cars. He raised his game markedly in 2025, taking his maiden F2 podium with a charging drive from 22nd on the grid to third in the Barcelona Sprint Race and adding a second podium in the Lusail Sprint in Qatar, finishing the year 14th overall on 43 points.
2026 / temporada actual
For 2026 Villagómez continued with Van Amersfoort Racing for a third Formula 2 season, lining up alongside Argentine endurance ace Nicolás Varrone. He has spoken about the value of stability, a settled environment and a fresh approach as he chases consistent results in what is widely expected to be a pivotal campaign. As the standard-bearer for Mexican single-seater racing on the F1 support bill, the León native carries the hopes of a country that has rallied behind its drivers in the modern era, looking to convert his hard-won experience into a breakthrough season.