FRME | 2026 | Round 3 | Dubai

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A controlled drive from pole position was converted into a dominant victory as ART Grand Prix’s Taito Kato secured Race 1 honours at the 2026 FRME Round 3 in Dubai. Behind him, Alexander Abkhazava and Kean Nakamura-Berta completed the podium after a race shaped by early battles, local yellow flags, penalties, and consistent pressure through the midfield.

Kato on pole for Race 1

Following pole position in the earlier Qualifying 1 session, Taito Kato was lined up on pole position alongside MP Motorsport’s Alexander Abkhazava in P2. Title contenders Kean Nakamura-Berta of Mumbai Falcons and R-ace GP’s Rashid Al Dhaheri followed in P3 and P4 respectively.

The third row was occupied by R-ace GP teammates Yuki Sano in P5 and newcomer Emanuele Olivieri in P6. Zhenrui Chi lined up in P7 for CL Motorsport, while Trident’s Maximilian Popov started from P8 after failing to set a time in Qualifying 2 due to an engine issue.

Further back, MP Motorsport newcomer Jesse Carrasquedo and Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Ninovic completed the top 10. Notably, Race 3 polesitter Alex Powell was placed in P12, while a full grid of 32 cars ensured heavy traffic throughout the opening phase.

Kato seizes the early lead of Race 1 as drivers battle behind

As the lights went out, a strong launch was made by Kato, and an early advantage was immediately established at the front of the field. Although several drivers fanned out behind him, the opening lap was negotiated cleanly, with no retirements recorded.

Attention was quickly drawn to the fight for third, where Nakamura-Berta successfully defended his position from Al Dhaheri. Meanwhile, Yuki Sano remained close enough to capitalise on any opportunity ahead. However, pressure was soon applied to Sano by Popov, who made rapid progress from eighth on the grid.

By the five-minute mark, a gap of over 0.9 seconds had been built by Kato over Abkhazava. At the same time, Popov had moved ahead of Sano to claim fifth place, placing himself into podium contention.

Throughout the top 10, the order became relatively settled, although Al Dhaheri continued to apply pressure to Nakamura-Berta. Elsewhere, Sebastian Wheldon and August Raber were promoted after Yuhao Fu was passed, while Matteo Giaccardi was forced into an early pit stop, dropping him to the rear of the field.

Midfield incidents and stoppages disrupt the flow of 2026 FRME Race 1 in Dubai

As the race approached the halfway point, midfield activity began to intensify. Salim Hanna was able to pass Carrasquedo for P11, while Al Dhaheri set the fastest lap of the race in pursuit of the final podium position.

Shortly afterwards, the first major incident occurred at Turn 10, where contact was made between Wheldon and Artem Severiukhin. Although both drivers rejoined initially, pit lane visits were required, and both were effectively removed from contention.

Additional complications were caused by local yellow flags, transponder issues, and multiple stopped cars. Carrasquedo later retired at the pit exit, while Reza Seewooruthun was eliminated after contact with the barriers at Turn 10.

Despite the interruptions, green flag running allowed Nakamura-Berta to close in on Abkhazava. Nevertheless, this battle ultimately benefitted Kato, whose advantage at the front grew to over 1.6 seconds.

While Abkhazava came under sustained pressure, Nakamura-Berta simultaneously built a buffer to Al Dhaheri behind. Track limit warnings were issued to several drivers during this phase, including Alex Powell, as the stewards maintained close oversight.

Kato seals the win as Severiukhin and Raber penalised

In the closing stages, battles intensified once more. Sano attempted to recover fifth position from Popov, while Olivieri was brought into contention as the gap closed. However, no decisive moves were completed.

Penalties were issued late on, with Severiukhin receiving a 10-second penalty for causing a collision and August Raber being sanctioned for repeated track limit violations. Ultimately, Abkhazava was unable to reduce the gap to the leader, and the result at the front was effectively settled before the final lap.

A composed drive saw Kato claim victory, with Abkhazava securing second place. Nakamura-Berta successfully held on to third, sealing both a podium finish and the rookie win. Al Dhaheri followed in fourth, while Popov completed the top five after a strong recovery drive.