Only two weeks after an eventful return from the summer break at Hockenheim, the 2026 Euroformula Open heads to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza for the penultimate round of the season. The championship reaches the Temple of Speed with Rui-Heng Yeh holding a commanding advantage, but the battles behind the Team Motopark driver remain considerably less settled as Monza and Barcelona prepare to decide the year’s remaining honours.
Yeh arrives with 328 points after taking his seventh victory of the season during the Hockenheim round. Diego de la Torre has moved into second on 243 after mastering the wet conditions in Germany, while Jesse Carrasquedo follows on 221. Alessandro Famularo and Javier Herrera lead BVM Racing’s challenge further back, with the latter also trying to protect a seven-point Rookie Trophy advantage over Wiktor Dobrzański.
Monza will also introduce two notable newcomers. Indy NXT racer Niels Koolen joins Motopark in the seat previously occupied by Everett Stack, while Ferrari Driver Academy member Nicolò Maccagnani makes his Euroformula debut at home with BVM Racing.
Euroformula Open enters final two rounds
Monza begins the decisive closing phase of an eight-round campaign that concludes at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 23–25 October. The Italian round takes place from 25–27 September and returns to its more familiar position immediately before the Spanish finale after Monza itself hosted the championship decider in 2025.
Last season produced one of the closest Euroformula title battles in recent years. Tymek Kucharczyk secured the championship during a dramatic Monza weekend before moving to Indy NXT, where he has continued his progression in 2026. His success adds to a long list of Euroformula graduates who have moved into leading international single-seater championships. Kucharczyk later detailed how quickly his Euroformula title success led into his move towards Indy NXT.
This year, the points situation is considerably more favourable to the championship leader, although Monza’s slipstream-heavy racing means there remains substantial scope for the order behind Yeh to change before Barcelona.
Monza rewards speed and racecraft
Few circuits place as much emphasis on outright speed as the 5.793km Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Its long straights are interrupted by heavy braking zones at the Rettifilo and Roggia chicanes, while Lesmo, Ascari and the Parabolica demand commitment from a low-downforce car.
Those characteristics make qualifying important without necessarily guaranteeing control of the race. Drivers must also manage the slipstream, with a well-timed tow capable of producing a substantial lap-time gain but poor positioning potentially costing several tenths. The same effect carries into the races, where cars can remain grouped together and attacking opportunities frequently emerge under braking.
For the championship contenders, that creates a different challenge from Hockenheim. Yeh has built much of his advantage through consistency alongside his seven victories, but Monza can quickly turn a comfortable race into a multi-car fight if the slipstream keeps the field connected.
Yeh arrives with 85-point championship lead
Most notably, Yeh has established himself as the clear benchmark of the 2026 season. The Taiwanese driver has accumulated 328 points, seven victories and two pole positions through the opening six rounds, leaving him 85 clear of de la Torre.
His early-season run was particularly decisive. Yeh won two of the three races at Portimão before producing a complete sweep at Spa-Francorchamps, establishing an advantage that his rivals have struggled to reduce despite the championship becoming more competitive later in the year.
Hockenheim again demonstrated why his championship position is so strong. Carrasquedo beat him to pole, but Yeh immediately took control at the start of Race 1 and secured his seventh victory. He then added third-place finishes in both Sunday races, ensuring he left Germany with another substantial haul even as Famularo and de la Torre shared the other victories. The Hockenheim results increased his total to 328.
Monza therefore gives Yeh another opportunity to move towards securing the championship before Barcelona, but maintaining his consistency will be especially valuable at a circuit where the tow can compress the field.
De la Torre moves into closest challenger position
De la Torre arrives second in the championship following one of his strongest performances of the year. The Mexican ended Hockenheim by controlling a difficult wet Race 3 from pole, resisting pressure from Dobrzański to take his second victory of the season.
The result moved him to 243 points and ahead of both Carrasquedo and the absent Stack. Although the 85-point gap to Yeh remains substantial, de la Torre now occupies the strongest position among the drivers still pursuing the championship leader.
His season has combined consistent podium finishes with occasional difficult weekends. He opened the year with three podiums at Portimão before taking his maiden victory at the Hungaroring, while the Hockenheim win demonstrated his ability to capitalise when conditions become unpredictable.
Monza presents another opportunity to strengthen second place while trying to apply pressure to his Motopark teammate before the Barcelona finale.
Carrasquedo remains close to de la Torre
Carrasquedo sits third with 221 points, only 22 behind de la Torre, after another productive weekend at Hockenheim. The Mexican claimed his second pole of the season before finishing second in both of the opening races and fourth in the wet finale.
He has three victories across the campaign and has repeatedly demonstrated the outright speed required to challenge Yeh, although a less consistent opening portion of the season left him playing catch-up in the championship.
Carrasquedo’s recent form has made the fight for second considerably closer. He won Race 1 at Paul Ricard before adding heavily to his total at Hockenheim, and Monza’s emphasis on qualifying speed could suit a driver who has already claimed multiple poles this year.
With Stack’s campaign interrupted for personal reasons, de la Torre and Carrasquedo now form the principal battle immediately behind Yeh.
Famularo leads BVM Racing challenge
BVM Racing arrives on home soil with Famularo fifth in the championship on 175 points and Herrera only eight behind on 167. Both have won during the 2026 season and have regularly disrupted Motopark’s control of the leading positions.
Famularo took his second victory of the year at Hockenheim after making decisive progress during the opening lap of Race 2. He passed both front-row starters before controlling the race through a Safety Car interruption and pressure from Carrasquedo. His weekend ended less successfully when he and Herrera were disqualified from the wet finale after problems surrounding tyre choice and the pit-exit light.
The Venezuelan nevertheless moved to 175 points, while Herrera remains firmly involved in both the overall standings and Rookie Trophy. Racing at Monza also gives the Italian BVM operation an opportunity to deliver another strong result on home soil.
Rookie battle tightens to seven points
The Rookie Trophy is significantly closer than the overall championship. Herrera leads Dobrzański by only seven points, 126 to 119, after the Motopark driver substantially reduced the deficit at Hockenheim.
Dobrzański produced one of his strongest races of the season in the wet finale. He resisted Yeh early before beginning to reduce de la Torre’s advantage, eventually finishing only 1.082 seconds behind the winner. The runner-up result also gave him the Rookie victory and moved him firmly back into championship contention.
Herrera’s German weekend proved more complicated. An engine sensor issue prevented him from properly contesting Race 1 before he won the Rookie classification with fourth overall in Race 2. His subsequent disqualification from Race 3 limited his opportunity to rebuild the gap.
The two therefore arrive at Monza separated by little more than a single strong race result. Lorenzo Castillo sits third on 82 points, while Jan Koller follows with 57.
Dobrzański targets elusive first victory
Beyond the Rookie fight, Monza gives Dobrzański another opportunity to pursue his first outright Euroformula victory.
The Polish driver has come close several times during the campaign. He finished second at Paul Ricard before repeating that result at Hockenheim, where his late pressure on de la Torre left him just over one second from victory.
His improving form also makes him increasingly relevant to the broader championship battle. Although seventh overall on 132 points, Dobrzański has demonstrated the pace to finish among the established race winners, and another strong weekend could reduce the gap to Herrera in both classifications.
Monza’s slipstream-heavy races could provide precisely the kind of opportunity needed to turn his recent podium pace into a maiden victory.
Castillo and Koller continue Motopark campaigns
Lorenzo Castillo and Jan Koller complete Motopark’s group of regular championship drivers. Castillo sits eighth overall on 67 points, with Koller ninth on 59 following an eventful Hockenheim weekend.
Koller took the Rookie Trophy victory in Race 1 in Germany despite receiving a five-second penalty for contact, while both he and Castillo retired from Race 2 following an early incident. They returned to the points in the wet finale, with Castillo sixth and Koller seventh.
Both remain capable of influencing a close Rookie contest and will again add depth to Motopark’s substantial Monza line-up.
Ferrazzano returns with Neri Motorsport
Aaron Ferrazzano returns to Euroformula competition after missing Hockenheim.
The Belgian has accumulated 28 overall championship points and 40 in the Rookie Trophy during his first campaign with Neri Motorsport. He showed encouraging pace at the opening round in Portimão and has continued developing alongside the French operation as it works through its debut Euroformula season.
His return increases the Monza field and gives Neri another opportunity to continue its progress before the Barcelona finale.
Koolen joins Motopark from Indy NXT
One of the weekend’s most notable changes comes at Motopark, where Niels Koolen takes over the seat vacated by Stack.
The 25-year-old Dutchman arrives directly from Indy NXT, adding another American single-seater connection to a weekend already shaped by Kucharczyk’s recent transition in the opposite direction. Koolen also has previous experience in European machinery, having competed as high as Formula 2 before moving to North America.
Monza will mark his Euroformula debut and place him inside a Motopark operation that currently occupies the top three active positions in the championship through Yeh, de la Torre and Carrasquedo.
With little time to adapt before competitive running begins, his first objective will be understanding the Dallara 324 and the particular demands of Monza’s low-downforce configuration.
Maccagnani makes home debut with BVM Racing
BVM Racing also introduces an intriguing newcomer as Nicolò Maccagnani makes his Euroformula debut at only 16 years old.
The Ferrari Driver Academy member arrives with experience across Formula 4 and Formula 3 machinery and will make his first appearance in the category on home soil. BVM has also provisionally entered a fourth car, with the identity of its driver still to be confirmed.
For Maccagnani, Monza provides an unusually demanding venue for a debut. The tow can exaggerate differences in experience during qualifying, while the heavy braking zones create repeated opportunities for close racing and contact.
His presence nevertheless gives BVM another highly rated young driver alongside Famularo and Herrera as the Italian team looks to challenge Motopark at its home round.
Palou Motorsport announcement adds 2027 interest
The paddock will also arrive at Monza shortly after confirmation that Palou Motorsport will join Euroformula Open in 2027.
The Barcelona-based team, founded by five-time IndyCar champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Alex Palou alongside his father Ramon, intends to field three Dallara 324s powered by Tom’s engines. The expansion adds Euroformula to a growing programme that already includes Eurocup-3.
The move also carries personal significance for Palou. Euroformula was the championship in which he began his single-seater career in 2014, taking victories at the Nürburgring, Hungaroring and Barcelona during his debut campaign. The team’s three-car 2027 programme therefore represents a return to the category that helped launch his professional career.
Although the new operation will not appear until next season, its announcement adds another point of interest during a weekend already carrying major implications for the current championship.
Championship standings before Monza
Yeh’s advantage remains the central feature of the overall standings, but the positions immediately behind him are much closer following Hockenheim. The current leading order is:
- 1. Rui-Heng Yeh — Team Motopark — 328 points
- 2. Diego de la Torre — Team Motopark — 243
- 3. Jesse Carrasquedo — Team Motopark — 221
- 4. Everett Stack — Team Motopark — 211
- 5. Alessandro Famularo — BVM Racing — 175
- 6. Javier Herrera — BVM Racing — 167
- 7. Wiktor Dobrzański — Team Motopark — 132
- 8. Lorenzo Castillo — Team Motopark — 67
- 9. Jan Koller — Team Motopark — 59
Stack remains fourth on his existing points total despite ending his campaign early, leaving Famularo, Herrera and Dobrzański with opportunities to move further up the classification across the closing two rounds.
Rookie Trophy remains wide open
The Rookie Trophy presents a very different picture from Yeh’s large overall advantage. Only seven points separate Herrera and Dobrzański, with Castillo remaining close enough to benefit if both leaders encounter trouble.
- 1. Javier Herrera — BVM Racing — 126 points
- 2. Wiktor Dobrzański — Team Motopark — 119
- 3. Lorenzo Castillo — Team Motopark — 82
- 4. Jan Koller — Team Motopark — 57
- 5. Aaron Ferrazzano — Neri Motorsport — 40
Hockenheim reduced what had been a 21-point Herrera advantage after Paul Ricard to only seven, making Monza potentially decisive before Barcelona.
Monza could shape the championship before Barcelona
Yeh enters the penultimate round in a significantly stronger position than any of his rivals, but the Temple of Speed offers few guarantees. Slipstreaming can complicate qualifying, races frequently produce close groups, and heavy braking zones make incidents or lost positions particularly costly.
Behind him, de la Torre and Carrasquedo remain separated by only 22 points, while Famularo and Herrera have their own close battle for fifth. The Rookie Trophy is tighter still, with Dobrzański carrying significant momentum after nearly taking his first victory in Germany.
The arrival of Koolen and Maccagnani adds another variable, while Ferrazzano’s return increases a field already containing several drivers capable of fighting near the front. Combined with the recent confirmation of Palou Motorsport’s 2027 arrival, Monza represents an important weekend for both Euroformula’s current title fight and its developing future.
The championship leader has spent much of 2026 building a margin his rivals have struggled to erode. At Monza, Yeh gets his first opportunity of the final two rounds to turn that advantage into something even more decisive before Euroformula heads to Barcelona for its season finale.
