The 2026 Formula 4 Central European Zone (F4 CEZ) Drivers’ Championship will be decided at the Hungaroring, with three Jenzer Motorsport teammates remaining in contention for the title. Elia Weiss enters the season finale holding a commanding advantage over Teo Borenstein and Max Karhan, although both Czech drivers remain mathematically capable of overturning the deficit.
Weiss leads the championship with 299 points, 42 ahead of Borenstein on 257. Karhan sits third with 240 points, leaving him 59 behind the German driver. With a maximum of 75 points available across the final weekend, the championship remains undecided.
However, Weiss is firmly in control of his title prospects. Having secured eight victories and three additional podium finishes during the campaign, the German needs just 33 points at the Hungaroring to guarantee the championship, regardless of his rivals’ performances.
The three drivers will compete across a four-race weekend, although each will participate in a maximum of three races. Their different championship positions create contrasting objectives, with Weiss able to approach the finale more cautiously while Borenstein and Karhan must pursue strong results.
Weiss enters Hungaroring with commanding championship advantage
Weiss has established himself as the leading contender during the second half of the 2026 F4 CEZ campaign, transforming a closely contested championship battle into a substantial points advantage.
The Jenzer Motorsport driver entered the fourth round at Autodrom Most trailing David Walther by 13 points. However, he secured three victories from his three starts, moving into the championship lead with a 14-point advantage over the Maffi Racing driver.
His strong form continued during the penultimate round at Autodrom Brno. Weiss won the opening race, finished second to teammate Georgiy Zasov in Race 3 and returned to the top step of the podium in the final contest.
The results added another 70 points to his championship total, increasing his advantage from 14 to 42 points. Meanwhile, Borenstein moved into second with 257 points, while Karhan climbed to third.
Weiss consequently enters the Hungaroring with eight victories, having won five of his previous six races. His recent performances have given him the strongest position of the three remaining contenders, although the title is not yet mathematically secured.
What does Weiss need to secure the 2026 F4 CEZ title?
Weiss requires 33 points across his three races to guarantee the Drivers’ Championship, regardless of how Borenstein and Karhan perform.
A victory carries 25 points, while second place awards 20 and third provides 15. With three races counting towards each driver’s weekend total, a maximum of 75 points remains available.
The championship leader therefore has several possible routes to securing the title. For example, a race victory and an eighth-place finish would provide exactly 33 points, bringing his total to 332.
Even if Borenstein won all three of his races, he could only match that total. However, Weiss would retain the advantage on countback because of his greater number of victories during the season.
Alternatively, two second-place finishes would give Weiss 40 points, taking him beyond the maximum total available to either challenger.
The German therefore does not need to continue his recent winning streak to secure the championship. Consistent points finishes would be sufficient, although a victory early in the weekend could end the title battle before Sunday’s races.
Borenstein needs strong results and setbacks for Weiss
Borenstein remains Weiss’ closest challenger, entering the final round with 257 points and a 42-point deficit.
The Czech driver has enjoyed a competitive season with Jenzer Motorsport, securing four victories and regularly challenging his teammates for leading positions.
His performances at Brno were particularly important in keeping his championship hopes alive. Borenstein claimed victory in Race 2, finished ninth in his opening contest and recovered to second in the final race.
The results brought him 52 points, promoting him from third to second in the standings ahead of the Hungaroring finale.
However, overturning Weiss’ advantage will require another strong weekend combined with significantly weaker results for the championship leader.
If Borenstein wins all three of his races, he will collect 75 points and finish on 332. In that scenario, Weiss would need to score no more than 32 points for Borenstein to secure the title.
Nevertheless, Borenstein does not necessarily need three victories. Three second-place finishes would earn him 60 points, increasing his championship total to 317. However, Weiss would then need to score 17 points or fewer for the Czech driver to finish ahead.
Borenstein therefore remains mathematically involved, but his title prospects depend on both his own performances and Weiss encountering difficulties.
Karhan faces difficult challenge from third in standings
Karhan enters the Hungaroring finale third in the Drivers’ Championship with 240 points, 59 behind Weiss and 17 behind Borenstein.
The Czech driver has been one of Jenzer Motorsport’s leading competitors throughout the season, securing two victories and numerous podium finishes.
His campaign included a home victory at Autodrom Most, where he demonstrated strong pace in challenging wet conditions.
Karhan subsequently enjoyed another productive weekend at Brno, securing two runner-up finishes and third in the final race. His 56-point haul lifted him into the championship’s leading three, although Weiss extended his advantage at the same time.
The 2025 championship runner-up therefore arrives at the finale facing his most difficult title challenge of the season.
Even if Karhan wins all three races and collects the maximum 75 points, he would finish with 315. To secure the championship outright, Weiss would need to score no more than 15 points.
Karhan must also overcome his deficit to Borenstein, who begins the weekend 17 points ahead.
His title prospects consequently depend on a near-perfect performance alongside significant setbacks for both teammates. Nevertheless, the three remaining races provide a mathematical opportunity for Karhan to secure the championship.
Weiss could secure F4 CEZ championship after opening race
Although the Hungaroring weekend features four races, Weiss could secure the Drivers’ Championship during Saturday’s opening contest.
One possible scenario would see the German claim victory while Borenstein finishes third or lower, provided both drivers participate in the opening heat.
A victory would increase Weiss’ total from 299 to 324 points. If Borenstein finishes third, he would add 15 points and move to 272.
The championship leader would consequently hold a 52-point advantage, with Borenstein able to collect a maximum of 50 points across his remaining two races.
That would leave Weiss mathematically out of reach, allowing him to secure the championship before the weekend’s remaining contests.
However, a runner-up finish for Borenstein would keep the title battle open under the same circumstances. The Czech driver would move to 277 points, leaving him 47 behind Weiss with 50 still available.
The opening race could therefore prove decisive, particularly if Weiss maintains the form that has produced five victories across his previous six starts.
Maffi Racing withdrawal leaves three Jenzer drivers in contention
The championship battle has also been affected by the withdrawal of Maffi Racing following the penultimate round at Brno.
Walther entered that weekend second in the standings, only 14 points behind Weiss. However, the Dane endured a difficult round before his team elected to withdraw from the remaining races following a technical dispute.
The decision to withdraw from the championship ended Walther’s opportunity to challenge for the title at the Hungaroring.
He remains fourth in the standings with 237 points, just three behind Karhan, but will not compete during the final round.
Consequently, Weiss, Borenstein and Karhan are the only remaining title contenders, creating an unusual scenario in which all three drivers represent the same organisation.
Jenzer Motorsport has already secured its fourth consecutive Teams’ Championship, maintaining its unbeaten record since F4 CEZ began in 2023.
The Swiss team therefore enters the finale with the Teams’ title secured and all three remaining Drivers’ Championship contenders competing under its banner.
2026 F4 CEZ Drivers’ Championship standings ahead of Hungaroring
The leading positions following the penultimate round at Brno are:
- Elia Weiss — Jenzer Motorsport — 299 points
- Teo Borenstein — Jenzer Motorsport — 257 points
- Max Karhan — Jenzer Motorsport — 240 points
- David Walther — Maffi Racing — 237 points
- Markas Silkunas — Jenzer Motorsport — 198 points
- Simon Rechenmacher — Cram Motorsport — 189 points
- Georgiy Zasov — Jenzer Motorsport — 184 points
The title calculations for the three remaining contenders are:
- Weiss: Needs 33 points to guarantee the championship, regardless of his rivals’ results.
- Borenstein: Trails by 42 points. Three victories would bring him to 332 points, requiring Weiss to score no more than 32.
- Karhan: Trails by 59 points. Even three victories would bring him to only 315 points, requiring Weiss to score no more than 15 while also overcoming Borenstein.
With a maximum of 75 points available, Weiss holds a considerable advantage, but both challengers retain mathematical opportunities to overturn the standings.
Hungaroring finale to determine 2026 F4 CEZ Drivers’ Champion
The 2026 F4 CEZ season will conclude at the Hungaroring from 23–25 October, with four races scheduled across the weekend.
The 4.381-kilometre circuit presents a technical challenge through its combination of medium-speed corners, relatively short straights and limited overtaking opportunities. Qualifying and race starts could therefore play particularly important roles in determining the championship outcome.
Weiss enters the finale with the strongest position after eight victories and a 42-point advantage. However, Borenstein and Karhan remain capable of challenging for the title if they deliver strong performances while the championship leader encounters difficulties.
The championship also offers an additional reward for its eventual winner, with the 2026 F4 CEZ champion set to receive a Eurocup-3 test as part of an initiative supporting progression through the single-seater ladder.
With all three contenders representing Jenzer Motorsport, the season finale will determine which driver emerges from the team’s dominant campaign as the 2026 Drivers’ Champion.
Although Weiss could secure the title as early as Saturday’s opening race, Borenstein and Karhan will aim to keep their championship hopes alive for as long as possible.
