2026 | FREC | Monza | Qualifying 1 | Nakamura-Berta claims fourth pole of the season

Kean Nakamura-Berta claimed his fourth pole position of the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) season after setting the outright fastest time in Qualifying 1 at Monza. The PREMA Racing driver topped Group B with a 1:45.376, earning the best starting position for the opening race of the weekend. Emanuele Olivieri will line up alongside him after leading Group A for R-ace GP.

Olivieri was also the fastest Rookie in the session, beating MP Motorsport’s Zhenrui Chi by only 0.006s. In Group B, Salim Hanna completed a PREMA one-two, while championship leader Rashid Al Dhaheri secured third place.

2026 FREC: Monza: Qualifying 1: Group A: Olivieri holds off Chi in a close finish

The first group headed onto the circuit in demanding conditions, with the air temperature recorded at 35°C and the track reaching 55°C.

Sebastian Wheldon, who topped Free Practice, was the first driver to set a time below the 1m46s mark. The MP Motorsport driver moved to the top of the order with a 1:45.880, establishing the early benchmark. However, Olivieri soon responded for R-ace GP. The Italian initially recorded a 1:45.763 before finding further time and lowering the target to a 1:45.595. That lap kept him at the head of the group through the closing stages, although Chi came within a fraction of taking the position away from him.

The MP Motorsport driver improved after the chequered flag to set a 1:45.601, moving ahead of teammate Wheldon and finishing just six thousandths of a second behind Olivieri.

Wheldon consequently dropped to third, while Dion Gowda placed fourth for Van Amersfoort Racing. Maximilian Popov completed the top five for Trident Motorsport. Andrea Dupé followed in sixth, narrowly ahead of Yuki Sano, while Tomass Štolcermanis, Reno Francot and Jules Roussel completed the top 10.

Gowda had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 2.

Group A results

1. #73 Emanuele Olivieri — R-ace GP — 1:45.595
2. #28 Zhenrui Chi — MP Motorsport — 1:45.601
3. #98 Sebastian Wheldon — MP Motorsport — 1:45.833
4. #55 Dion Gowda — Van Amersfoort Racing — 1:45.900
5. #33 Maximilian Popov — Trident Motorsport — 1:45.950
6. #7 Andrea Dupé — Van Amersfoort Racing — 1:45.965
7. #12 Yuki Sano — R-ace GP — 1:45.967
8. #60 Tomass Štolcermanis — PREMA Racing — 1:46.018
9. #69 Reno Francot — CL Motorsport — 1:46.066
10. #24 Jules Roussel — CL Motorsport — 1:46.151
11. #87 Kai Daryanani — Trident Motorsport — 1:46.198
12. #42 Kyuho Lee — CL Motorsport — 1:46.207
13. #3 Saqer Al Maosherji — G4 Racing — 1:46.257
14. #5 Miguel Costa — RPM — 1:46.316
15. #99 Giovanni Maschio — RPM — 1:46.850

2026 FREC: Monza: Qualifying 1: Group B: Nakamura-Berta delivers decisive final lap

Nakamura-Berta established himself as the early driver to beat in Group B, moving to the top of the timing screens with a 1:45.743. However, Hanna then increased the pressure on his PREMA teammate. After moving into contention with a 1:46.135, the Colombian improved to a 1:45.588 and briefly took control of the session.

Al Dhaheri remained close behind for R-ace GP, while Rodin Motorsport’s Reza Seewooruthun and Alex Ninovic also featured near the front as the final laps began.

Nakamura-Berta ultimately produced the decisive effort. His 1:45.376 moved him 0.212s clear of Hanna and gave him the fastest time across both qualifying groups. The lap was also 0.219s quicker than Olivieri’s Group A benchmark, confirming Nakamura-Berta on pole for Race 1.

Hanna retained second place in the group, with Al Dhaheri finishing third. Seewooruthun secured fourth ahead of Ninovic, the two Rodin Motorsport drivers separated by only 0.012s.

Alexander Abkhazava placed sixth for MP Motorsport, followed by Francisco Macedo and Kabir Anurag. Matteo Giaccardi and Marcus Sæter rounded out the top 10.

Ninovic had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 2.

Group B results

1. #51 Kean Nakamura-Berta — PREMA Racing — 1:45.376
2. #88 Salim Hanna — PREMA Racing — 1:45.588
3. #71 Rashid Al Dhaheri — R-ace GP — 1:45.638
4. #4 Reza Seewooruthun — Rodin Motorsport — 1:45.672
5. #2 Alex Ninovic — Rodin Motorsport — 1:45.684
6. #15 Alexander Abkhazava — MP Motorsport — 1:45.768
7. #11 Francisco Macedo — Van Amersfoort Racing — 1:45.785
8. #19 Kabir Anurag — ART Grand Prix — 1:45.812
9. #27 Matteo Giaccardi — ART Grand Prix — 1:45.830
10. #67 Marcus Sæter — G4 Racing — 1:45.838
11. #78 Gabriel Gomez — Rodin Motorsport — 1:45.848
12. #95 Alexandre Munoz — ART Grand Prix — 1:45.893
13. #47 Andrija Kostić — Trident Motorsport — 1:46.082
14. #8 Jan Przyrowski — RPM — 1:46.204
15. #23 Rahim Alibhai — G4 Racing — 1:46.218

Nakamura-Berta strengthens his Qualifying record

Nakamura-Berta’s final improvement proved to be the difference in another closely contested Qualifying session. While Olivieri emerged on top in Group A and secured a valuable front-row position, the PREMA Racing driver found the additional margin required to take outright pole. Hanna’s second place underlined PREMA Racing’s pace in Group B, while Olivieri’s performance ensured R-ace GP remained firmly in contention at the front of the grid.

With small gaps throughout both groups and a reversed-grid second race still to come, Qualifying 1 has set up a competitive opening day of racing at Monza.