Emanuele Olivieri says his attention has already shifted towards the overall FREC title after a near-perfect start to his Imola weekend culminated in victory and the 2026 Rookie Championship.
The R-ace GP driver converted pole into his second victory of the season in Race 1, also setting the fastest lap as he successfully managed four Safety Car restarts. The result moved Olivieri into the championship lead by three points over MP Motorsport’s Sebastian Wheldon, who finished second, while ART Grand Prix’s Alexandre Munoz completed the podium.
Olivieri manages repeated Safety Car pressure to win the 2026 FREC Imola Race 1
Olivieri had demonstrated his pace throughout Friday by topping Free Practice before securing pole position, leaving his primary objective at the start of Race 1 simply to remain ahead and establish control. He managed that task, but four Safety Car periods repeatedly erased the advantages he built over Wheldon and forced him to defend the lead at several restarts.
The Italian felt particularly strong through Imola’s more technical sections but acknowledged that Wheldon’s straight-line speed made the MP Motorsport driver a persistent threat whenever the field returned to racing conditions.
“It is fair to say that the weekend is going very well. The main objective today was to make a clean start because we knew our pace was very strong and the car was really enjoyable to drive. However, I wasn’t expecting so many Safety Car periods, and that made the race very challenging. Wheldon was very quick on the straights. Although I think my pace through the infield was stronger, it was still difficult to keep him behind. Every restart was challenging, but I managed them well. I’m extremely happy with the performance and couldn’t have asked for anything more. We have secured the Rookie title and we are leading the Championship for now, but it is not over yet. There are still plenty of points available, and I’m already looking ahead to Race 2.”
The victory mathematically secured Olivieri the Rookie crown, but the larger championship has now become his main target. With Wheldon only three points behind and both Kean Nakamura-Berta and Rashid Al Dhaheri still involved, the Italian remains conscious that his new lead could change quickly.
Wheldon maximises opportunity from front-row promotion
Wheldon entered Race 1 knowing he had an opportunity to make a significant championship gain after Friday evening’s changes to the starting grid. He had originally been set to start further back before Marcus Saeter’s Qualifying disqualification promoted the MP Motorsport driver onto the front row alongside Olivieri.
His other title rivals also faced more difficult circumstances, with Nakamura-Berta starting deep in the field following a grid penalty and Al Dhaheri beginning sixth. Wheldon therefore approached the race focused on maximising his points haul and ultimately remained close to Olivieri throughout the Safety Car-interrupted contest.
“Yesterday, we were originally due to start fifth after qualifying, but we benefited from another driver’s disqualification, which promoted us to second. I knew I had to maximise the points available for the Championship because my title rivals were starting further back. It was a solid race, and now we have to keep improving and try to go one step higher.”
Second place keeps Wheldon firmly in the championship fight and only three points behind the new leader. With Olivieri and Wheldon now occupying the top two positions, their battle at Imola could prove increasingly important as the season approaches its conclusion.
Munoz encouraged by return to front
Munoz completed the Race 1 podium after starting from the second row, giving ART Grand Prix its strongest result for several rounds. His third place was his second podium of 2026 and his first since claiming victory at Spa earlier in the campaign.
The Frenchman believes changes made before the Imola weekend have helped ART Grand Prix rediscover the pace it had been missing during a difficult three-round stretch. He was able to remain close to both Olivieri and Wheldon throughout Race 1 and felt the leading trio had separated themselves as the strongest drivers on outright pace.
“To be honest, it has been a while since we were able to fight at the front. We had three rounds that were really difficult, but we changed a few things coming into this weekend and the pace is finally back. We are fighting at the front again, so it feels really good. The race was very strong and our pace was really good. Olivieri, Wheldon and I were the three quickest drivers out there. It was a great race and I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”
The podium gives Munoz an encouraging platform for the remainder of the Imola round after a difficult recent run. For Olivieri and Wheldon, however, attention remains firmly on the championship, with only three points separating them after the opening race of the weekend.
