The final race of the opening 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) weekend began under clear skies in Spielberg, with PREMA’s Kean Nakamura-Berta starting from pole. Alongside him, Reno Francot lined up in P2, while Alex Ninovic and Sebastian Wheldon occupied the second row.
However, pre-race penalties reshaped the grid. Rashid Al Dhaheri dropped to P8 after receiving a five-place penalty for misusing push-to-pass under yellow flags. Meanwhile, his teammate Yuki Sano started from the back following disqualification due to an illegal rear diffuser height.
Safety Cars disrupt early momentum
As the lights went out, Nakamura-Berta launched cleanly and defended firmly against Francot’s early challenge. Ninovic held P3, while Salim Hanna surged past Wheldon into P4. Yet, chaos quickly unfolded behind them. Jan Przyrowski stalled on the grid, triggering a chain reaction that saw Sano collide with him. At the same time, Kabir Anurag ran wide after contact with Francisco Macedo. Consequently, Race Control deployed the first Safety Car.
Once racing resumed, Nakamura-Berta maintained his lead. However, another interruption followed almost immediately when Emanuele Olivieri stopped on the start-finish straight, bringing out a second Safety Car.
Amid the confusion, Nakamura-Berta dropped dramatically down the order to P10. As a result, Francot inherited the race lead. With around 20 minutes remaining, he controlled the restart, while intense midfield battles began to emerge.
Gomez, Gowda, and Muñoz fought fiercely for position, while Seewooruthun overtook Nakamura-Berta. Soon after, Nakamura-Berta fell further back after being pushed into the gravel. Meanwhile, another major incident involving Przyrowski and Rahim Alibhai brought out yet another Safety Car, halting progress once again.
Mid-race battles and mounting tension
With just over 12 minutes remaining, Francot once again managed the restart effectively, despite running wide. He retained his lead and began to pull clear of Ninovic. Behind them, Gomez finally passed Gowda for P5, although the action soon stalled again after Saqer Al Mosherji spun following contact. Consequently, the fourth Safety Car of the race neutralised the field.
As time ticked down, tension increased. Drivers prepared for a final sprint, knowing that opportunities would be limited.
Final sprint brings late drama as Francot seals landmark victory
With five minutes remaining, Francot executed another clean restart. Wheldon immediately pressured Ninovic, forcing a defensive response. Simultaneously, Gowda reclaimed P5 from Gomez, while Muñoz joined the battle.
Further back, Al Dhaheri showcased his experience by overtaking both Gomez and Muñoz to climb into P6. Meanwhile, Nakamura-Berta, already struggling, faced further scrutiny and dropped down the order.
Then, in the closing moments, disaster struck for PREMA. Nakamura-Berta collided with teammate Tomass Štolcermanis at Turn 10, forcing his retirement. At the same time, Zhenrui Chi ran wide and lost positions.
Despite relentless chaos behind him, Francot remained composed. He controlled the race into the final lap and crossed the line to secure a commanding victory — CL Motorsport’s first in the category.
Ninovic finished second after defending strongly, while Wheldon completed the podium in third. Meanwhile, Daryanani made a late move into the points, and Frey dropped back after a gravel excursion.
Ultimately, the race delivered relentless action, with four Safety Cars, multiple collisions, and constant position changes. Nevertheless, Francot kept his composure throughout and capitalised on every opportunity. As a result, he emerged as a deserved winner in one of the most chaotic season openers in recent FREC history.
2026 FREC: Spielberg Race 3 results (Provisional)
- #69 Reno Francot – CL Motorsport
- #2 Alex Ninovic – Rodin Motorsport
- #98 Sebastian Wheldon – MP Motorsport
- #88 Salim Hanna – PREMA Racing
- #71 Rashid Al Dhaheri – R-ace GP
- #55 Dion Gowda – Van Amersfoort Racing
- #78 Gabriel Gomez – Rodin Motorsport
- #95 Alexandre Muñoz – ART Grand Prix
- #5 Miguel Costa – RPM
- #87 Kai Daryanani – Trident Motorsport
- #4 Reza Seewooruthun – Rodin Motorsport
- #60 Tomass Štolcermanis – PREMA Racing
- #6 Enea Frey – CL Motorsport
- #11 Francisco Macedo – Van Amersfoort Racing
- #47 Andrija Kostić – Trident Motorsport
- #19 Kabir Anurag – ART Grand Prix
- #15 Alexander Abkhazava – MP Motorsport
- #67 Marcus Sæter – G4 Racing
- #27 Matteo Giaccardi – ART Grand Prix
- #24 Jules Roussel – CL Motorsport
- #7 Andrea Dupé – Van Amersfoort Racing
- #28 Zhenrui Chi – MP Motorsport
DNF
- #99 Giovanni Maschio – RPM
- #51 Kean Nakamura-Berta – PREMA Racing
- #3 Saqer Al Maosherji – G4 Racing
- #23 Rahim Alibhai – G4 Racing
- #8 Jan Przyrowski – RPM
- #73 Emanuele Olivieri – R-ace GP
- #12 Yuki Sano – R-ace GP
