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2026 | Eurocup-3 | Portimão | Official Collective Test | Day 1 | Drivex leads Day 1 as rookies shine across all three sessions

Karishma Persad06 mins
Drivex leads Eurocup-3 testing at Portimão as Fiorentino and El Feghali set the pace while rookies impress across Day 1.
Photo Credit: Filippo Fiorentino | Instagram
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The 2026 Eurocup-3 Official Collective Test at Portimão opened with a highly competitive first day, as three sessions produced close margins, strong rookie performances, and a clear early statement from Drivex. Filippo Fiorentino topped both Session 1 and Session 2, before Chistopher El Feghali completed the day by leading Session 3.

Across the day, Drivex, Griffin Core by Campos, MP Motorsport, and Palou Motorsport all showed flashes of strong pace. However, the main storyline was the impressive performance of the rookies. Fiorentino, El Feghali, René Lammers, Thomas Strauven, Alex Powell, Heitor Dall’Agnol, Ean Eyckmans, and others all featured prominently, suggesting that the new Eurocup-3 generation has adapted quickly to the Dallara 326 package.

Drivex on top as Fiorentino sets the early benchmark

Fiorentino opened Day 1 in commanding fashion, setting a 1:37.083 for Drivex to top the first session. El Feghali made it a Drivex one-two, finishing only 0.117 seconds behind his teammate. Therefore, the team immediately established itself as one of the strongest outfits on the timing screens.

Palou Motorsport also started brightly, with Heitor Dall’Agnol taking third as the highest-placed non-Drivex driver. Gianmarco Pradel followed in fourth for MP Motorsport, while Keanu Al Azhari placed fifth for Hitech Grand Prix. With the top five covered by just 0.313 seconds, the opening session quickly suggested that the field would be tightly matched.

Further back, Kacper Sztuka, Patrick Heuzenroeder, Enzo Tarnvanichkul, Rafael Perard, and Bart Harrison completed the top ten. Notably, several rookies were already inside that group, including Fiorentino, El Feghali, Dall’Agnol, Perard, and Harrison. As a result, Session 1 immediately highlighted the depth of the rookie class.

2026 Eurocup-3: Portimão: Day 1: Session 1: Official Collective Test: Results

  1. #37 Filippo Fiorentino (R) – Drivex – 1:37.083
  2. #7 Chistopher El Feghali (R) – Drivex – 1:37.200
  3. #27 Heitor Dall’Agnol (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:37.264
  4. #12 Gianmarco Pradel – MP Motorsport – 1:37.376
  5. #14 Keanu Al Azhari – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:37.396
  6. #2 Kacper Sztuka – Tecnicar – 1:37.423
  7. #5 Patrick Heuzenroeder – Griffin Core – 1:37.465
  8. #10 Enzo Tarnvanichkul – Griffin Core – 1:37.481
  9. #33 Rafael Perard (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:37.484
  10. #77 Bart Harrison (R) – Double R – 1:37.499
  11. #9 Thomas Strauven (R) – Griffin Core – 1:37.752
  12. #41 Alex Powell (R) – Griffin Core – 1:37.767
  13. #4 Ean Eyckmans (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:37.780
  14. #48 James Egozi – Palou Motorsport – 1:37.978
  15. #91 Lorenzo Campos (R) – Double R – 1:38.033
  16. #8 Alceu Feldmann – MP Motorsport – 1:38.047
  17. #11 Luca Viisoreanu (R) – TC Racing – 1:38.156
  18. #99 René Lammers (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:38.173
  19. #22 Adam Al Azhari (R) – Tecnicar – 1:38.295
  20. #44 Rayan Caretti (R) – GRS – 1:38.315
  21. #26 Tommy Harfield (R) – Double R – 1:38.474
  22. #39 Santino Panetta (R) – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:38.532
  23. #23 Stefan Bostandjiev – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:38.673
  24. #31 Renzo Barbuy (R) – TC Racing – 1:39.013
  25. #6 Stylianos Kolovos (R) – Drivex – 1:39.104
  26. #84 Genaro Trappa (R) – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:39.291
  27. #3 Edouard Borgna – Drivex – 1:39.341
  28. #70 Jakob Bergmeister – GRS – 1:39.361
  29. #16 Bianca Bustamante – Palou Motorsport – 1:39.647
  30. #20 Benjamin Beckley (R) – Tecnicar – 1:39.940

Raised standards in Session 2

Fiorentino then raised the standard in Session 2, improving to a 1:36.727. That lap was not only enough to top the session, but also remained the quickest time of the entire day. James Egozi delivered a strong response for Palou Motorsport, finishing second and only 0.063 seconds away from Fiorentino.

Behind them, Lammers moved MP Motorsport into third with a 1:37.014. El Feghali continued Drivex’s strong showing in fourth, only 0.007 seconds behind Lammers, while Strauven completed the top five for Griffin Core. Therefore, the second session showed that while Drivex had the headline pace, several teams remained close enough to challenge.

The top ten again featured a mixture of experienced drivers and rookies. Pradel, Sztuka, Eyckmans, Rayan Caretti, and Keanu Al Azhari rounded out the group. Meanwhile, Luca Viisoreanu narrowly missed the top ten in 11th, finishing only 0.008 seconds behind Al Azhari. Consequently, the midfield margins remained extremely fine.

2026 Eurocup-3: Portimão: Day 1: Session 2: Official Collective Test: Results

  1. #37 Filippo Fiorentino (R) – Drivex – 1:36.727
  2. #48 James Egozi – Palou Motorsport – 1:36.790
  3. #99 René Lammers (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:37.014
  4. #7 Chistopher El Feghali (R) – Drivex – 1:37.021
  5. #9 Thomas Strauven (R) – Griffin Core – 1:37.142
  6. #12 Gianmarco Pradel – MP Motorsport – 1:37.158
  7. #2 Kacper Sztuka – Tecnicar – 1:37.198
  8. #4 Ean Eyckmans (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:37.235
  9. #44 Rayan Caretti (R) – GRS – 1:37.275
  10. #14 Keanu Al Azhari – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:37.295
  11. #11 Luca Viisoreanu (R) – TC Racing – 1:37.303
  12. #8 Alceu Feldmann – MP Motorsport – 1:37.447
  13. #27 Heitor Dall’Agnol (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:37.493
  14. #22 Adam Al Azhari (R) – Tecnicar – 1:37.503
  15. #23 Stefan Bostandjiev – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:37.545
  16. #39 Santino Panetta (R) – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:37.629
  17. #5 Patrick Heuzenroeder – Griffin Core – 1:37.669
  18. #41 Alex Powell (R) – Griffin Core – 1:37.692
  19. #33 Rafael Perard (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:37.735
  20. #10 Enzo Tarnvanichkul – Griffin Core – 1:37.747
  21. #77 Bart Harrison (R) – Double R – 1:37.824
  22. #84 Genaro Trappa (R) – Hitech Grand Prix – 1:38.079
  23. #26 Tommy Harfield (R) – Double R – 1:38.104
  24. #91 Lorenzo Campos (R) – Double R – 1:38.128
  25. #6 Stylianos Kolovos (R) – Drivex – 1:38.277
  26. #16 Bianca Bustamante – Palou Motorsport – 1:38.373
  27. #31 Renzo Barbuy (R) – TC Racing – 1:38.687
  28. #3 Edouard Borgna – Drivex – 1:38.834
  29. #20 Benjamin Beckley (R) – Tecnicar – 1:38.983
  30. #70 Jakob Bergmeister – GRS – 1:39.049

El Feghali tops Session 3

El Feghali took over at the top in Session 3, setting a 1:37.055 for Drivex. Although it did not beat Fiorentino’s Session 2 benchmark, it ensured that Drivex completed all three sessions on top. Strauven finished second for Griffin Core by Campos, 0.111 seconds behind, while Powell made it two Griffin Core cars inside the top three.

Fiorentino finished fourth, meaning rookies occupied the top four positions in the final session. Tarnvanichkul followed in fifth, ahead of Egozi, Sztuka, Keanu Al Azhari, Eyckmans, and Heuzenroeder. As a result, Griffin Core by Campos enjoyed its strongest session of the day, placing four cars inside the top ten.

The final session also showed how compact the order remained. Egozi, Sztuka, and Keanu Al Azhari were separated by only 0.001 seconds between sixth, seventh, and eighth, with both Sztuka and Al Azhari recording identical 1:37.532 laps. Therefore, even small gains could significantly reshape the order heading into the next day of running.

2026 Eurocup-3: Portimão: Day 1: Session 3: Official Collective Test: Results

  1. #7 Chistopher El Feghali (R) – Drivex – 1:37.055
  2. #9 Thomas Strauven (R) – Griffin Core by Campos – 1:37.166
  3. #41 Alex Powell (R) – Griffin Core by Campos – 1:37.201
  4. #37 Filippo Fiorentino (R) – Drivex – 1:37.302
  5. #10 Enzo Tarnvanichkul – Griffin Core by Campos – 1:37.413
  6. #48 James Egozi – Palou Motorsport – 1:37.531
  7. #2 Kacper Sztuka – Tecnicar – 1:37.532
  8. #14 Keanu Al Azhari – Hitech – 1:37.532
  9. #4 Ean Eyckmans (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:37.543
  10. #5 Patrick Heuzenroeder – Griffin Core by Campos – 1:37.582
  11. #84 Genaro Trappa (R) – Hitech – 1:37.642
  12. #22 Adam Al Azhari (R) – Tecnicar – 1:37.671
  13. #99 René Lammers (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:37.686
  14. #39 Santino Panetta (R) – Hitech – 1:37.801
  15. #91 Lorenzo Campos (R) – Double R – 1:37.869
  16. #12 Gianmarco Pradel – MP Motorsport – 1:37.873
  17. #27 Heitor Dall’Agnol (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:38.062
  18. #6 Stylianos Kolovos (R) – Drivex – 1:38.124
  19. #23 Stefan Bostandjiev – Hitech – 1:38.179
  20. #26 Tommy Harfield (R) – Double R – 1:38.253
  21. #77 Bart Harrison (R) – Double R – 1:38.365
  22. #8 Alceu Feldmann – MP Motorsport – 1:38.493
  23. #33 Rafael Perard (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:38.551
  24. #3 Edouard Borgna – Drivex – 1:38.642
  25. #44 Rayan Caretti (R) – GRS – 1:38.765
  26. #16 Bianca Bustamante – Palou Motorsport – 1:38.908
  27. #11 Luca Viisoreanu (R) – TC Racing – 1:39.070
  28. #20 Benjamin Beckley (R) – Tecnicar – 1:39.188
  29. #70 Jakob Bergmeister – GRS – 1:39.650
  30. #31 Renzo Barbuy (R) – TC Racing – No time listed

Conclusion

Overall, Day 1 at Portimão belonged to Drivex. Fiorentino topped the first two sessions and set the fastest time of the day, while El Feghali ended the programme fastest in Session 3. However, the wider picture remains competitive. Griffin Core by Campos gathered momentum late in the day, MP Motorsport stayed consistently near the front, and Palou Motorsport also showed strong pace through Egozi and Dall’Agnol.

Most importantly, the rookie class made an immediate impact. With rookies topping every session and filling several front-running positions, the early signs suggest that Eurocup-3’s 2026 field could be both unpredictable and highly competitive. Therefore, while Drivex leaves Day 1 with the clearest headline advantage, the narrow margins suggest the order could still shift quickly as testing continues.

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