Rashid Al Dhaheri strengthened his 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) lead with victory in the second and final race of the Hungaroring weekend.
The R-ace GP driver converted pole position into his third win of the season and his first full-points victory, controlling the race despite two Safety Car periods. Behind him, team-mate Emanuele Olivieri was promoted to second after Alexander Abkhazava received a post-race penalty for a Race Mode infringement. Olivieri also retained Rookie honours, continuing his strong recent run after his Monza victory and fourth place in Race 1.
Al Dhaheri pleased to convert pole into “proper race” win
Al Dhaheri entered Race 2 from pole after topping Qualifying 2 on Sunday morning. Unlike his previous victories, which required him to recover from lower grid positions, the Emirati driver had the chance to control the race from the front.
He made the most of that opportunity, holding the lead at the start and building a gap over Abkhazava before the Safety Car periods disrupted the rhythm of the race.
“I’m very happy to finally win what I would call a proper race. In the previous wins we still had to work incredibly hard for it, coming through from P8 on one occasion and around P11 on another. This weekend, the team did a fantastic job to put me in a position to start from pole and that made a huge difference. We had really strong pace throughout the race and were able to build a comfortable gap, even though the safety car restarts always brought an extra challenge. In the end, the most important thing was to execute the race properly, bring the car home and make the most of the opportunity the team gave me.”
His comments highlight how important Qualifying proved at the Hungaroring. Al Dhaheri had shown race-winning pace earlier in the season, but starting from pole allowed him to dictate the pace rather than fight through traffic.
Moreover, the result carried significant championship value. With Sebastian Wheldon retiring from both races and slipping down the standings, Al Dhaheri left Hungary with a stronger grip on the title fight.
R-ace GP execution proves decisive in Race 2 at the 2026 FREC Hungaroring Round
Al Dhaheri also emphasised the team’s role in creating the opportunity. R-ace GP had already looked strong across the weekend, with Yuki Sano winning Race 1 and Olivieri consistently fighting near the front.
In Race 2, the team again converted pace into points. Al Dhaheri led from pole, while Olivieri’s podium ensured R-ace GP placed two cars inside the top two after Abkhazava’s penalty.
The Safety Car restarts added pressure, but Al Dhaheri kept control each time. Therefore, his victory reflected both outright pace and execution under race-management conditions.
Olivieri values consistency after another Rookie win
Olivieri’s second place added another important result to his recent run. After a difficult start to the season, the Italian has gathered momentum through Monza and Hungary, combining Rookie wins with strong overall finishes.
He stressed the importance of consistency in such a close championship, especially as every point could prove decisive later in the season.
“It was a very important podium for me. After the opening rounds, which weren’t really ideal, I focused on staying consistent and scoring strong points. As you can see, the championship is incredibly close and every single point counts. I’m very happy with the consistency we’ve shown so far and I feel that I’m improving with every round, both together with the team and personally as a driver. Hopefully we can keep this momentum going.”
Olivieri’s response underlines his shift in approach. Rather than chasing isolated standout results, he has focused on building a repeatable level of performance with R-ace GP.
That approach has started to pay off. His Monza win, Race 1 points and Race 2 podium have moved him into a stronger position as the season heads into its second half.
Momentum shifts towards Paul Ricard
The Hungaroring weekend proved costly for Wheldon, who arrived as championship leader but left without points after retiring from both races. Meanwhile, Al Dhaheri capitalised fully, moving clear at the top.
Kean Nakamura-Berta also remains firmly in the title picture after another strong Race 2 result, while Olivieri continues to build confidence in the Rookie fight and overall standings.
FREC now heads to Circuit Paul Ricard in two weeks’ time. Al Dhaheri will arrive with momentum, but the championship remains close enough to reward consistency as much as outright speed.
