Thomas Ten Brinke has announced he will be retiring from racing aged just sixteen, with the recent Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine round at the Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands his final outing.
Ten Brinke moved up to FRECA after just a solitary season in Spanish Formula 4, and he had scored points in five of the eight races he competed in with ART Grand Prix.
However, in a post on social media, he revealed that his motivation to compete had gone and he has made the decision to cease racing with immediate effect.
“Dear all. For the past few years, I’ve been extremely dedicated to racing. I’ve been go-karting for five years, became world champion and finally made my move to autosport. I loved the first races in F4, the racing, the competition and moved my way up to Formula Regional soon after.
“During the weekends of FRECA, I started feeling a pressure I didn’t know before. How badly I would’ve wanted to compete, I struggled mentally to perform. Together with the coaching of [former Formula 1 driver] Giedo van der Garde and Ken de Meester, I tried to turn things around, but the past weekend in Zandvoort it became clear to me. There was no joy.
“I know that driving race cars is a dream for a lot of people – and that thought also makes this decision even harder – but I have to stay true to myself and admit that racing doesn’t make me enjoy my life the way I want.
“Therefore it’s with a heavy heart that I’m writing that I will stop my racing career immediately. For all the people that helped me along the way: a big thank you. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I know I’m taking the right decision. All the best, Thomas.”
