The 2026 Euroformula Open season will begin its second half at Circuit Paul Ricard, where a growing group of race winners will attempt to close the gap to championship leader Rui-heng Yeh.
The championship’s traditional pre-summer-break event takes place near the Mediterranean coast in the Var department. Holiday crowds, warm weather and Saturday’s Summer Rooftop Party give the meeting a relaxed seasonal atmosphere, but the drivers and teams will face one of the campaign’s most demanding challenges.
Paul Ricard’s fast 5.842-kilometre layout places significant pressure on aerodynamic balance, tyre management and straight-line speed. Moreover, high temperatures could influence performance throughout the weekend.
The title fight has also become increasingly competitive. Yeh dominated the opening stages of the season, but several rivals have raised their level in recent rounds. Six drivers have now won races, leaving the championship leader with several threats as the decisive second half begins.
Yeh restores momentum with sixth victory
Yeh arrives at Paul Ricard with a 74-point championship lead after returning to the top step of the podium at the Hungaroring.
The Team Motopark driver won Race 3 in Hungary to claim his sixth victory of the season and halt the momentum of his increasingly competitive team-mates.
The Taiwanese racer established a commanding advantage during the opening rounds through his pace and consistency. However, the emergence of several new winners has changed the complexion of the championship.
Yeh must now maintain his form while Motopark’s other leading drivers continue to reduce the performance gap.
Although his points advantage remains substantial, the start of the second half gives his rivals time to build a sustained challenge.
De la Torre and Stack join winners’ circle
Diego de la Torre and Everett Stack emerged as Yeh’s closest championship challengers after both claimed their first victories of the season at the Hungaroring.
De la Torre sits 74 points behind the leader, while Stack trails by 82. Their breakthroughs in Hungary demonstrated Motopark’s strength across its driver line-up and placed further pressure on Yeh.
Both drivers had shown competitive pace earlier in the season, but their maiden wins confirmed that they could convert that speed into results.
They will now aim to carry their Hungarian momentum into Paul Ricard, where the long straights and fast corners should reward confident driving and effective slipstreaming.
Jesse Carrasquedo completes Motopark’s leading quartet. The Mexican driver secured two victories at Misano and remains one of the championship’s most proven contenders.
Consequently, Yeh faces his strongest opposition from within his own team.
Herrera and Famularo lead BVM challenge
BVM Racing will attempt to disrupt Motopark’s championship control with Javier Herrera and Alessandro Famularo.
Herrera has established himself as one of the season’s most exciting young drivers. The Mexican has already claimed two pole positions and one race victory through a combination of outright speed and aggressive racecraft.
He also leads BVM’s challenge in the championship and remains firmly involved in the Rookies’ Trophy battle.
Famularo brings further victory potential to the Italian team. The Venezuelan has regularly fought near the front and remains capable of challenging for wins whenever BVM provides a competitive package.
Together, Herrera and Famularo complete the top six in the standings and the group of drivers who have already won during the 2026 campaign.
Their presence ensures that Motopark cannot approach Paul Ricard as the only team capable of controlling the weekend.
Dobrzanski targets Rookies’ Trophy lead
Behind the leading sextet, several emerging drivers will seek breakthrough results at Paul Ricard.
Wiktor Dobrzanski has delivered a particularly consistent campaign for Motopark. The Polish driver sits close behind Herrera in the Rookies’ Trophy and continues to collect points through clean, measured performances.
A strong weekend in France could allow Dobrzanski to take control of the rookie contest and move closer to the leading group in the overall standings.
Motopark will also field Jan Koller and Lorenzo Castillo.
Koller continues to develop during his first season at this level, while Castillo has shown steady progress as he adapts to Euroformula Open competition. Both drivers will target stronger qualifying positions and regular points finishes during the second half.
Their presence gives Motopark another deep line-up as the German team seeks success across the championship order.
Nandan and Feldmann strengthen BVM line-up
BVM Racing will enter four cars at Paul Ricard.
Divy Nandan returns after producing several encouraging performances earlier in the season. The Indian driver has demonstrated flashes of strong pace and will aim to convert those outings into a complete weekend.
Alceu Feldmann will make his second appearance of the season after joining the championship at Spa-Francorchamps.
The experienced Brazilian will continue learning the car and series while supporting BVM’s broader push against Motopark.
With Herrera and Famularo fighting near the front, Nandan and Feldmann give BVM additional opportunities to score points and influence the races.
Neri Autosport prepares for home event
Neri Autosport will race on home soil with Aaron Ferrazzano.
The French team and its Belgian driver have made steady progress throughout the season, including several finishes inside the top five.
They will now attempt to take another step forward at Paul Ricard. Familiarity with the circuit could help the team refine its set-up quickly and challenge closer to the established front-runners.
Ferrazzano has already shown that he can compete inside the leading group. However, Neri Autosport must improve its Qualifying performance and race consistency to convert that potential into a podium challenge.
A home event provides the ideal opportunity for the team to demonstrate how far it has progressed.
Drivex returns with Trappa and Fiorentino
Drivex will make its second Euroformula Open appearance of the season after previously competing at Spa.
The Spanish squad will retain the same driver pairing of Gino Trappa and Filippo Fiorentino.
Trappa immediately made an impression during his first appearance by claiming a podium finish in Belgium. The Argentine will therefore arrive at Paul Ricard as a potential challenger to the full-season contenders.
Fiorentino will continue alongside him after gaining valuable experience at Spa. The Brazilian will aim to build his confidence and move closer to the front during the French weekend.
Drivex’s return adds another competitive team to a field that has already produced several different winners and podium finishers.
Paul Ricard begins decisive championship phase
Yeh holds a healthy championship advantage, but the growing number of race winners suggests that the second half will present a more complicated challenge.
De la Torre and Stack gained momentum through their Hungarian victories, while Carrasquedo has already demonstrated his ability to win multiple races. Meanwhile, Herrera and Famularo continue to lead BVM Racing’s pursuit of Motopark.
Further back, Dobrzanski, Koller, Castillo, Nandan and Ferrazzano remain capable of producing breakthrough performances. Drivex could also influence the leading positions after Trappa’s podium on the team’s first appearance.
Paul Ricard’s speed, heat and technical demands will test every driver and team before the summer break.
Although the event carries the atmosphere of a Mediterranean holiday, the championship battle will become increasingly serious once the cars take to the track.
