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2026 | FREC | Zandvoort | Collective Tests | Sebastian Wheldon leads Zandvoort testing as FREC Round 2 begins

Karishma Persad05 mins
Sebastian Wheldon topped 2026 FREC Zandvoort testing for MP Motorsport, edging Jules Roussel by 0.035s in Session 2.
Photo Credit: FIA Formula Regional European Championship & ACI Sport
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The second round of the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) got underway at Zandvoort with two official collective test sessions, as all 30 drivers began preparations for the weekend at the Dutch venue.

Across the day, the field completed 1,343 laps around the 4.259km circuit, with dry conditions and relatively cool track temperatures shaping both sessions. Belgian newcomer Thomas Strauven also made his first appearance of the season with CL Motorsport after missing the opening round at the Red Bull Ring.

2026 FREC Round 2: Zandvoort: Collective Test 1: Seewooruthun sets the benchmark

To begin with, Reza Seewooruthun set the benchmark in the opening session for Rodin Motorsport. The British driver posted a 1:31.726 to end the morning fastest, taking advantage of the lower track temperatures despite the sunny conditions.

Francisco Macedo followed closely for Van Amersfoort Racing, finishing just 0.138 seconds behind Seewooruthun. Meanwhile, Rodin Motorsport teammate Alex Ninovic placed third, confirming a strong start to the weekend for the team.

Jules Roussel led CL Motorsport’s early effort in fourth, while Trident Motorsport’s Maksimilian Popov completed the top five. Rookie driver Alexander Munoz finished sixth for ART Grand Prix, ahead of Prema Racing’s Kean Nakamura-Berta and Rodin Motorsport’s rookie driver Giltaire Gomez.

Sebastian Wheldon, who later went fastest overall, ended the opening session ninth for MP Motorsport. Championship leader Reno Francot placed 11th in his first home appearance of the campaign.

Collective Test 1 results

  1. Reza Seewooruthun (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:31.726
  2. Francisco Macedo (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 1:31.864 – +0.138
  3. Alex Ninovic (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:31.941 – +0.215
  4. Jules Roussel (CL Motorsport) – 1:32.086 – +0.360
  5. Maksimilian Popov (Trident Motorsport) – 1:32.147 – +0.421
  6. Alexander Munoz (ART Grand Prix) – 1:32.152 – +0.426
  7. Kean Nakamura-Berta (Prema Racing) – 1:32.178 – +0.452
  8. Giltaire Gomez (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:32.192 – +0.466
  9. Sebastian Wheldon (MP Motorsport) – 1:32.214 – +0.488
  10. Salim Almaosherji (G4 Racing) – 1:32.255 – +0.529
  11. Reno Francot (CL Motorsport) – 1:32.268 – +0.542
  12. Dion Gowda (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 1:32.307 – +0.581
  13. Augustin Dupé (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 1:32.307 – +0.581
  14. Jan Przyrowski (RPM) – 1:32.335 – +0.609
  15. Sasha Hanna (Prema Racing) – 1:32.356 – +0.630
  16. Aghakhan Abkhazava (MP Motorsport) – 1:32.427 – +0.701
  17. Zheng Chi (MP Motorsport) – 1:32.440 – +0.714
  18. Matteo Costa (RPM) – 1:32.442 – +0.716
  19. Enzo Olivieri (R-ace GP) – 1:32.521 – +0.795
  20. Kanato Daryanani (Trident Motorsport) – 1:32.591 – +0.865
  21. Matias Saeter (G4 Racing) – 1:32.728 – +1.002
  22. Kabir Anurag (ART Grand Prix) – 1:32.769 – +1.043
  23. Aleksandar Kostic (Trident Motorsport) – 1:32.904 – +1.178
  24. Tomass Stolcermanis (Prema Racing) – 1:32.967 – +1.241
  25. Giovanni Maschio (RPM) – 1:32.975 – +1.249
  26. Yaroslav Sano (R-ace GP) – 1:33.016 – +1.290
  27. Rashid Al Dhaheri (R-ace GP) – 1:33.022 – +1.296
  28. Thomas Strauven (CL Motorsport) – 1:33.030 – +1.304
  29. Matteo Giaccardi (ART Grand Prix) – 1:33.057 – +1.331
  30. Rishab Alibhai (G4 Racing) – 1:33.177 – +1.451

2026 FREC Round 2: Zandvoort: Collective Test 2: Wheldon edges Roussel to the top of the timesheets

In contrast, the second session delivered the day’s fastest lap. Wheldon moved MP Motorsport to the top with a 1:30.804, improving by more than 1.4 seconds compared with his best lap from the morning session.

Roussel came closest to denying him, finishing just 0.035 seconds behind for CL Motorsport. Gowda secured third for Van Amersfoort Racing, while Ninovic continued his consistent day with fourth for Rodin Motorsport.

Francot completed the top five, giving CL Motorsport two cars inside the first five. Zheng Chi followed in sixth for MP Motorsport, ahead of morning pacesetter Seewooruthun. Aghakhan Abkhazava placed eighth, with rookies Enzo Olivieri and Giltaire Gomez completing the top 10.

Further back, Strauven improved from 28th in the first session to 15th in the second, ending his first official FREC day 0.718 seconds off Wheldon’s benchmark.

Collective Test 2 results

  1. Sebastian Wheldon (MP Motorsport) – 1:30.804
  2. Jules Roussel (CL Motorsport) – 1:30.839 – +0.035
  3. Dion Gowda (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 1:31.071 – +0.267
  4. Alex Ninovic (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:31.106 – +0.302
  5. Reno Francot (CL Motorsport) – 1:31.119 – +0.315
  6. Zheng Chi (MP Motorsport) – 1:31.145 – +0.341
  7. Reza Seewooruthun (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:31.152 – +0.348
  8. Aghakhan Abkhazava (MP Motorsport) – 1:31.275 – +0.471
  9. Enzo Olivieri (R-ace GP) – 1:31.348 – +0.544
  10. Francisco Macedo (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 1:31.389 – +0.585
  11. Giltaire Gomez (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:31.476 – +0.672
  12. Augustin Dupé (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 1:31.480 – +0.676
  13. Alexander Munoz (ART Grand Prix) – 1:31.496 – +0.692
  14. Rashid Al Dhaheri (R-ace GP) – 1:31.519 – +0.715
  15. Thomas Strauven (CL Motorsport) – 1:31.522 – +0.718
  16. Jan Przyrowski (RPM) – 1:31.524 – +0.720
  17. Maksimilian Popov (Trident Motorsport) – 1:31.539 – +0.735
  18. Matteo Costa (RPM) – 1:31.566 – +0.762
  19. Kanato Daryanani (Trident Motorsport) – 1:31.569 – +0.765
  20. Kean Nakamura-Berta (Prema Racing) – 1:31.589 – +0.785
  21. Sasha Hanna (Prema Racing) – 1:31.706 – +0.902
  22. Matteo Giaccardi (ART Grand Prix) – 1:31.736 – +0.932
  23. Aleksandar Kostic (Trident Motorsport) – 1:31.837 – +1.033
  24. Yaroslav Sano (R-ace GP) – 1:31.888 – +1.084
  25. Tomass Stolcermanis (Prema Racing) – 1:32.055 – +1.251
  26. Kabir Anurag (ART Grand Prix) – 1:32.119 – +1.315
  27. Salim Almaosherji (G4 Racing) – 1:32.137 – +1.333
  28. Matias Saeter (G4 Racing) – 1:32.331 – +1.527
  29. Giovanni Maschio (RPM) – 1:32.371 – +1.567
  30. Rishab Alibhai (G4 Racing) – 1:33.112 – +2.308

Wheldon leads a competitive field into Friday

Following both sessions, Wheldon ended Thursday fastest overall, with Roussel only 0.035 seconds behind. Gowda, Ninovic and Francot completed the overall top five, while MP Motorsport, CL Motorsport, Van Amersfoort Racing and Rodin Motorsport all placed cars near the front.

The field also remained closely matched. In the second session, the top eight drivers finished within half a second of Wheldon, while the top 20 sat inside 0.785 seconds. That suggests qualifying could prove especially competitive around Zandvoort’s narrow and demanding layout.

Track action resumes on Friday with two 50-minute Free Practice sessions. Then, on Saturday, the first qualifying session will split the field into two groups before Race 1 begins at 16:45. Sunday’s Qualifying 2 will set the grid for the second and final race of the weekend, also scheduled for 16:45.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Wheldon gave MP Motorsport the early advantage at Zandvoort, but the margins suggest a finely balanced second round. Roussel and Francot showed strong pace for CL Motorsport, while Gowda, Ninovic and Seewooruthun kept Van Amersfoort Racing and Rodin Motorsport firmly in contention.

However, with official Free Practice, qualifying and two races still to come, Thursday’s testing only offered the first indication of the competitive order. Therefore, the battle for momentum remains wide open as FREC prepares for a crucial weekend on Dutch soil.

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