The 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) returns from its summer break at Imola from 4–6 September for the penultimate round of the season.
The championship reaches the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari with only 20 points separating the leading four drivers. Eight competitors have already won races with the second-generation Tatuus T-326, while the title picture changed again during the previous round at Paul Ricard.
PREMA Racing’s Kean Nakamura-Berta now leads the standings after combining victory with third place in France. However, Rashid Al Dhaheri and Sebastian Wheldon sit only 13 points behind on equal totals, while Emanuele Olivieri remains firmly involved in fourth as he prepares for his home event.
Nakamura-Berta takes championship lead into Imola
Nakamura-Berta enters the penultimate round at the top of the Drivers’ Championship after producing one of his strongest weekends of the season at Paul Ricard.
The Williams F1 Team Academy driver arrived in France 21 points behind Al Dhaheri but overturned that deficit by taking victory and third place. Those results moved him into the championship lead for the decisive final two events.
Nakamura-Berta has now claimed three victories during 2026. His first came at the Red Bull Ring before another followed on home soil for PREMA Racing at Monza. His Paul Ricard success then moved him level with Al Dhaheri and Wheldon for the highest number of victories this season.
That consistency has become increasingly important as the championship has tightened. With Imola followed almost immediately by the Hockenheim finale, Nakamura-Berta has little opportunity to consolidate his advantage before facing another direct challenge from his three closest rivals.
Al Dhaheri looks to rebound after difficult Paul Ricard round
Al Dhaheri enters Imola tied with Wheldon and only 13 points behind Nakamura-Berta.
The Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Junior Programme member had taken control of the championship at the Hungaroring after securing his third victory of the season. His wins at Spielberg, Monza and Hungary established him as one of the most consistent front-runners through the opening six rounds.
However, Paul Ricard interrupted that momentum. The R-ace GP driver managed a best finish of sixth and surrendered the championship lead he had carried into the summer break.
Imola therefore provides an immediate opportunity to respond. Al Dhaheri has already demonstrated that he can recover quickly from difficult weekends, while his three victories leave him level with Nakamura-Berta and Wheldon in that category.
With only 13 points separating him from first, another victory could put Al Dhaheri straight back at the head of the championship before the field travels to Germany.
Wheldon remains level with Al Dhaheri after Paul Ricard victory
Wheldon also sits 13 points away from Nakamura-Berta after strengthening his championship challenge before the summer break.
The MP Motorsport driver produced his breakthrough weekend at Zandvoort in May, where he won both races. Those results established him among the championship contenders, although several more difficult races prevented him from immediately taking control of the standings.
Paul Ricard brought Wheldon firmly back into the fight. After another competitive weekend, he completed the French round by winning Race 2 and claiming his third victory of the campaign.
That leaves him level on points with Al Dhaheri heading to Imola and gives three of the leading four drivers three victories apiece.
Wheldon now needs to maintain the consistency he demonstrated in France. With the championship margins so small, a difficult Qualifying session or non-score could prove particularly costly during a weekend containing three races.
Olivieri combines title challenge with opportunity to secure Rookie crown
Olivieri enters his home event fourth overall and remains only 20 points away from the championship lead.
The R-ace GP driver has become one of the championship’s most consistent competitors during the second half of the season. He claimed his maiden victory at Monza before following it with three consecutive runner-up finishes across the Hungaroring and Paul Ricard.
Those results have kept him firmly involved despite Nakamura-Berta, Al Dhaheri and Wheldon each winning three races.
Imola also gives Olivieri an opportunity to settle the Rookie Championship before the Hockenheim finale. The Italian currently holds a 104-point advantage over Rodin Motorsport’s Gabriel Gomez and can mathematically secure the title during his home weekend.
However, the overall championship remains equally important. Only seven points separate Olivieri from the two drivers directly ahead, while his 20-point deficit to Nakamura-Berta remains comfortably smaller than the points available across the three Imola races.
A strong home weekend could therefore deliver both a Rookie title and an even stronger position in the overall championship.
Francot needs podium return to rejoin leading group
Reno Francot remains fifth in the Drivers’ Championship but has lost significant ground to the four drivers ahead.
The CL Motorsport driver claimed his maiden victory during the opening event at the Red Bull Ring and initially established himself among the championship’s leading contenders.
However, Francot has now gone nine consecutive races without returning to the podium. That run leaves him 90 points behind Nakamura-Berta entering Imola.
His title prospects therefore depend on a significant turnaround during the final two rounds. Even so, returning to the podium would allow Francot to strengthen fifth place and finish his first campaign with the Tatuus T-326 strongly.
Imola provides three opportunities to end that drought before the championship heads directly to Hockenheim.
Sano, Popov and Munoz add to competitive depth
The 2026 season has produced eight different race winners, underlining the depth of competition beyond the four championship leaders.
Yuki Sano became the latest R-ace GP driver to win when he triumphed at the Hungaroring. That breakthrough followed a maiden European pole and gave the Japanese driver a significant confidence boost during the middle stage of the campaign.
Maksimilian Popov and Alexandre Munoz also joined the winners’ group during the difficult Spa-Francorchamps weekend. Popov delivered Trident Motorsport a victory, while ART Grand Prix rookie Munoz secured his first success in the championship.
Francot’s Spielberg victory completes the group of eight winners alongside Nakamura-Berta, Al Dhaheri, Wheldon and Olivieri.
Their presence could become increasingly significant during the title run-in. With only 20 points covering the championship’s leading four, any driver capable of finishing between the principal contenders could influence the final standings.
Imola begins rapid conclusion to 2026 season
The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari starts an unusually compressed final phase of the championship.
After competing at Imola from 4–6 September, teams will travel almost immediately to Germany for the eighth and final round at Hockenheim. Consequently, there will be little time to recover from a difficult Italian weekend or make significant changes before the championship decider.
Imola’s narrow layout also presents a very different challenge from Paul Ricard. Its fast direction changes, substantial kerbs and limited margin for error reward precision, while several heavy braking zones create potential overtaking opportunities.
Track position should nevertheless remain particularly important. Drivers need confidence through sections such as Tamburello, Villeneuve and Acque Minerali, while mistakes can quickly result in lost momentum or contact with the gravel traps.
The introduction of three races at Imola adds another strategic element. Race 2 uses a reversed grid for the leading 12 drivers from Qualifying 1, increasing the possibility of championship contenders needing to recover through the field.
With the top four separated by only 20 points, avoiding incidents across all three races could prove just as important as outright speed.
Weekend schedule
Track action at Imola begins on Thursday with pre-event testing before the competitive programme starts on Friday.
A 50-minute Free Practice session begins at 09:55 CEST on Friday, giving teams their final opportunity to prepare before the opening Qualifying session.
Qualifying 1 starts at 15:15 CEST, with the field split between Group A and Group B. The session determines the starting order for Race 1 and also establishes the reversed-grid element for the second contest.
Saturday begins with Race 1 at 10:10 CEST. The opening contest will run for 30 minutes plus one lap.
Race 2 follows at 16:30 CEST and uses a reversed grid for the top 12 drivers from Qualifying 1. The additional race provides another major opportunity to score points but could also place several championship contenders deeper in the field.
Sunday’s programme begins with Qualifying 2 at 08:45 CEST. That session determines the grid for Race 3, which concludes the Imola weekend at 16:30 CEST.
Where to watch
Broadcasters across more than 200 territories will show the FIA Formula Regional European Championship action from Imola.
All three races will also be available through live streaming on the championship’s official YouTube channel, @fiaformularegionaleu.
Nakamura-Berta arrives with the championship lead, but his 13-point advantage over Al Dhaheri and Wheldon offers little protection. Olivieri remains only 20 points away and could also secure the Rookie title on home soil.
With three races at Imola immediately followed by the Hockenheim finale, the championship now enters a rapid conclusion in which every Qualifying position, podium and non-score could determine the identity of the 2026 champion.
