Dan Wheldon’s son Sebastian all set for major breakthrough season in Formula 4 under Andretti umbrella

Dan Wheldon is arguably one of the IndyCar greats. With one championship and two stunning Indy 500 victories (2004 and 2011), the late legend left a timeless legacy, which his 15-year-old son, Sebastian, is en route to carry, and his first big step will come in the Formula 4 championship.

On Monday, December 23, PREMA Racing announced the signing of Sebastian Wheldon for the 2025 Italian F4 and the recently rebranded E4 championships. The second-generation American driver is part of Andretti Global's driver development program, the team that his late father raced for in IndyCar from 2003 to 2005 and won his maiden Indy 500.

Sebastian, who has landed this F4 seat with the most successful team in the junior Formula series, said (via PREMA Racing):

"I feel very excited about joining PREMA and want to thank Gainbridge for the continued support. It will be a new experience for me to race on the European circuit and I can’t wait for the season to start."

PREMA founder Angelo Rosin also expressed his appreciation for the 15-year-old's raw talent and said in a team statement:

"Sebastian is a very welcome addition to our team. He had his karting career and made his first starts in the United States, so he was not really on the radar for European racing, and when we first saw him into action, he was very impressive. He will start from good foundations and we are sure we will work up from there. We enjoyed working together so far and we are sure there are positive steps to come."

Dan Wheldon's son Sebastian showed early signs of racing being in his blood by dominantly winning the Skip Barber Formula Race Series title in 2023. He scored six wins and 13 podiums en route to his first junior open-wheel championship. The 15-year-old repeated his heroics in the 2024 USF Juniors championship with four wins for Velocity Racing Development and ended the season third in the standings.

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When Dan Wheldon's widow Susie revealed dealing with the double-edged sword of their sons' desire to pursue racing careers

Dan Wheldon with his wife Susie and two sons at the 95th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Trophy Presentation - Source: Getty

Dan Wheldon passed away aged 33 in 2011 after sustaining "unsurvivable injuries" during a 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Indy 300. His car launched into the air and went over the shock-absorbent wall to hit a catch fence before lighting on fire. His older son, Sebastian, was two and a half years old and the younger one, Oliver, was only seven months old at the time of the heartbreak.

On March 12, 2024, Wheldon's widowed wife Susie, and sons Sebastian and Oliver became the subject of an HBO Max documentary titled 'The Lionheart' that honored his life. Around the release, Susie also told PEOPLE about dealing with her sons wanting to pursue a racing career, knowing what happened with her husband.

"We had so many talks about it where I was like, 'Are you sure?' It got to the point where they were like, 'Mom, stop asking us. Yes, this is what we want to do!' They were annoyed by me, so I was like, alright."

She also spoke about the beautiful bond that her sons share on and off the track.

"They're competitive, but they're each other's best friend, the only person who truly knows what the other has been through with losing their dad, but also with this sport and what it feels like to show up for a race," Susie added.

With Sebastian earning a seat in F4, Dan Wheldon's legacy may well be in safe hands. He will team up with Kean Nakamura-Berta, who PREMA re-signed for his second F4 season in 2025.