Kean Nakamura-Berta extended his perfect Qualifying record at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg by securing a second pole position in the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) opener. After dominating Friday’s session, the PREMA Racing driver once again set the pace on Sunday, delivering a benchmark lap of 1:25.246 to top the overall timesheets.
As a result, Nakamura-Berta will start the final race of the weekend from pole position, reinforcing his early championship credentials. Meanwhile, CL Motorsport’s Reno Francot led Group B and secured a front-row start, ensuring a strong challenge at lights out.
2026 FREC: Spielberg Qualifying 2: Group B: Francot edges ahead in tight battle
To begin with, Sebastian Wheldon set the early reference with a 1:26.513 before immediately improving by three tenths on his next attempt. At the same time, Alexandre Munoz moved into contention, closing to within just 0.040 seconds of the lead.
However, the session intensified as Wheldon lowered the benchmark again with a 1:26.043. Shortly after, Francot responded decisively, becoming the first driver to break into the 1:25s with a 1:25.655 lap.
Although Wheldon fought back with a 1:25.741, he remained second as Francot held firm at the top. Furthermore, Yuki Sano delivered a strong performance to secure third for R-ace GP. The competition remained exceptionally tight, with less than three tenths separating the top six. Munoz finished fourth, followed by Reza Seewooruthun and Race 2 winner Rashid Al Dhaheri.
Reflecting on his session, Francot said: “Qualifying went really well. Taking pole in my group is obviously the best you can do. Unfortunately, the second group was a bit quicker, but the car feels really on rails, so I’m looking forward to the race. Let’s see if we can get a good start and maybe gain a position.”
Group B Qualifying Results: Top 10
- #69 Reno Francot – CL Motorsport
- #98 Sebastian Wheldon – MP Motorsport
- #12 Yuki Sano – R-ace GP
- #95 Alexandre Muñoz – ART Grand Prix
- #4 Reza Seewooruthun – Rodin Motorsport
- #71 Rashid Al Dhaheri – R-ace GP
- #78 Gabriel Gomez – Rodin Motorsport
- #27 Matteo Giaccardi – ART Grand Prix
- #60 Tomass Štolcermanis – PREMA Racing
- #87 Kai Daryanani – Trident Motorsport
2026 FREC: Spielberg Qualifying 2: Group A: Nakamura-Berta raises the benchmark
Meanwhile, Group A benefited from faster track conditions, which immediately influenced the pace. Zhenrui Chi set the early standard with a 1:25.902 before Alex Ninovic moved to the top with a 1:25.592.
Nevertheless, Nakamura-Berta quickly asserted control. He produced a superb 1:25.246 lap, which not only secured pole position but also improved on his Friday effort by over half a tenth.
Behind him, Ninovic held onto second place, finishing just over a tenth and a half adrift. In addition, Salim Hanna claimed third, missing out on second by only 0.019 seconds. Dion Gowda and Jan Przyrowski completed the top five in a highly competitive session.
Speaking after Qualifying, Nakamura-Berta said: “A good way to start the day. We had a decent day in the office yesterday and then starting on pole is always helpful. The track felt a lot quicker than on Friday afternoon, which is what we were expecting with the cooler conditions this morning. The first group already showed that the pace was strong, and in our group we managed to find another half a second, which I wasn’t really expecting. But overall, it was good – the track was fast and the car felt great.”
Group A Qualifying Results: Top 10
- #51 Kean Nakamura-Berta – PREMA Racing
- #2 Alex Ninovic – Rodin Motorsport
- #88 Salim Hanna – PREMA Racing
- #55 Dion Gowda – Van Amersfoort Racing
- #8 Jan Przyrowski – RPM
- #5 Miguel Costa – RPM
- #73 Emanuele Olivieri – R-ace GP
- #28 Zhenrui Chi – MP Motorsport
- #19 Kabir Anurag – ART Grand Prix
Final race set for exciting conclusion
Overall, the final Qualifying session underlined the depth of competition across the grid. While Nakamura-Berta maintained his dominance, Francot and several others demonstrated the pace to challenge.
Consequently, with both groups producing closely matched times and multiple contenders in strong form, the final race promises intense battles throughout the field. The weekend’s concluding race will begin at 16:40 CEST and will be broadcast live on the championship’s official platforms and worldwide television networks.
