The 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) continued its pre-season programme with two productive test days at the Circuit Paul Ricard, as all 10 teams prepared for the season opener at Spielberg at the end of April.
Importantly, the French venue offered stable weather conditions throughout, in contrast to the mixed running at Hockenheim. Although strong winds and low temperatures presented their own challenges, teams benefited from uninterrupted track time and gathered crucial data ahead of the new campaign.
Across both days, all 30 drivers took part, delivering the first true indication of a full-grid battle in 2026.
Gomez sets the overall benchmark
In consistent dry conditions, Gabriel Gomez emerged as the outright fastest driver of the test. The Rodin Motorsport driver posted a 1:56.401 during the opening day’s afternoon session, securing the quickest time across both days.
Earlier that morning, Alexandre Munoz had led the field with a 1:56.672 for ART Grand Prix. He finished ahead of Marcus Sæter and Gomez, underlining his strong early pace.
However, as the day progressed, Gomez moved to the top, with Emanuele Olivieri and Munoz completing the top three in the afternoon session.
2026 FREC: Test Day 1: Paul Ricard
Only drivers who didn’t compete in a full winter campaign this year are participating today.
Morning
- Alexandre Munoz
- Marcus Sæter
- Gabriel Gomez
- Tomass Štolcermanis
- Saquer Almosherji
- Emanuele Olivieri
Afternoon
- Gabriel Gomez
- Emanuele Olivieri
- Alexandre Munoz
- Marcus Sæter
- Tomass Štolcermanis
- Saquer Almosherji
Nakamura-Berta leads Day 2 start as Olivieri closes running on top
On the second day, reigning Italian F4 champion Kean Nakamura-Berta set the tone in the morning session. The Prema Racing driver recorded a 1:56.745 to top the timesheets.
Once again, Munoz remained firmly in contention, finishing just 0.066 seconds behind, while Andrea Dupé secured third for Van Amersfoort Racing, only 0.071 seconds further back.
Later in the afternoon, Emanuele Olivieri delivered the fastest lap of the day with a 1:56.706. The R-ace GP driver led team-mate Rashid Al Dhaheri by 0.065 seconds, sealing a one-two finish for the team.
Meanwhile, Alexander Abkhazava ensured three different teams featured in the top three, highlighting the competitive spread across the grid.
2026 FREC: Test Day 2: Paul Ricard
Morning: Top 10
- Kean Nakamura-Berta
- Alexandre Munoz
- Alexandre Dupé
- Jan Przyrowski
- Gabriel Gomez
- Reno Francot
- Reza Seewooruthun
- Alex Ninovic
- Maximilian Popov
- Emanuele Olivieri
Afternoon: Top 10
- Emanuele Olivieri
- Rashid Al Dhaheri
- Alexander Abkhazava
- Reno Francot
- Alex Ninovic
- Zhenrui Chi
- Yuki Sano
- Gabriel Gomez
- Jules Roussel
- Tomass Štolcermanis
Strong competition across the field
Notably, the test once again featured a full grid, allowing teams to assess performance across a wide range of conditions and driver experience levels. The closely matched lap times across both days suggest that the 2026 season could deliver one of the most competitive campaigns in recent years.
Moreover, multiple teams demonstrated front-running pace, with Rodin Motorsport, ART Grand Prix, Prema Racing and R-ace GP all featuring prominently in the results.
Final preparations at Spielberg
Looking ahead, the championship now moves to its final pre-season test at the Red Bull Ring over the Easter weekend (4–5 April).
This final outing will provide teams with one last opportunity to fine-tune their setups before returning to the same circuit for the opening round of the 2026 season.
