Reno Francot heads the Drivers’ Standings after an action-packed opening round of the 2026 Formula Regional European Championship in Spielberg. He scored 43 points, narrowly edging Rashid Al Dhaheri on 38.
Francot built his lead through consistency and composure, particularly in Race 3 where he controlled multiple Safety Car restarts to secure victory. Meanwhile, Al Dhaheri combined speed with smart race management, inheriting the Race 2 win and adding a podium in Race 1. Consequently, both drivers leave the opening round as early title contenders.
Qualifying and Collective Test set the tone
From the outset, the Collective Test and Qualifying sessions established the competitive nature of the field. Alex Ninovic set the pace in the Collective Test, while Sebastian Wheldon and Alexander Abkhazava followed closely. Notably, 23 drivers finished within one second, highlighting the depth of competition.
In Qualifying, Kean Nakamura-Berta stood out by securing both pole positions. In addition, Al Dhaheri and Francot delivered strong group performances, while Ninovic consistently remained near the front. Therefore, the grid remained tightly packed, and small margins ultimately proved decisive across the races.
Although Nakamura-Berta converted pole into a Race 1 victory, misfortune later in the weekend limited his points haul.
Nakamura-Berta and the chasing pack
Kean Nakamura-Berta sits third in the standings with 34 points. He demonstrated exceptional one-lap pace and racecraft, particularly during his Race 1 win. However, incidents in Race 3 prevented him from maximising his advantage.
Behind him, Sebastian Wheldon holds fourth with 30 points after a consistent weekend. Similarly, Alex Ninovic occupies fifth with 19 points, having translated his Collective Test pace into two podium finishes.
Zhenrui Chi, Dion Gowda, and Salim Hanna follow closely, each capitalising on chaotic race conditions. Meanwhile, Reza Seewooruthun and Maksimilian Popov complete the top ten, benefiting from tightly contested midfield battles.
2026 FREC Drivers’ Standings after Round 1 (Spielberg)
- Reno Francot (CL Motorsport) – 43
- Rashid Al Dhaheri (R-ace GP) – 38
- Kean Nakamura-Berta (PREMA Racing) – 34
- Sebastian Wheldon (MP Motorsport) – 30
- Alex Ninovic (Rodin Motorsport) – 19
- Zhenrui Chi (MP Motorsport) – 18
- Dion Gowda (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 16
- Salim Hanna (PREMA Racing) – 13
- Reza Seewooruthun (Rodin Motorsport) – 9
- Maksimilian Popov (Trident Motorsport) – 8
- Kai Daryanani (Trident Motorsport) – 8
- Alexander Abkhazava (MP Motorsport) – 6
- Gabriel Gomez (Rodin Motorsport) – 6
- Emanuele Olivieri (R-ace GP) – 4
- Alexandre Munoz (ART Grand Prix) – 4
- Miguel Costa (RPM) – 4
- Francisco Macedo (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 2
- Yuki Sano (R-ace GP) – 1
- Andrija Kostić (Trident Motorsport) – 0
- Enea Frey (CL Motorsport) – 0
- Marcus Saeter (G4 Racing) – 0
- Tomass Stolcermanis (PREMA Racing) – 0
- Mattéo Giaccardi (ART Grand Prix) – 0
- Kabir Anurag (ART Grand Prix) – 0
- Jules Roussel (CL Motorsport) – 0
- Jan Przyrowski (RPM) – 0
- Andrea Dupé (Van Amersfoort Racing) – 0
- Giovanni Maschio (RPM) – 0
- Rahim Alibhai (G4 Racing) – 0
- Saqer Almaosherji (G4 Racing) – 0
MP Motorsport takes early Teams’ advantage
In the Teams’ Standings, MP Motorsport leads with 54 points after a consistently strong weekend. The team placed multiple drivers near the front in both Qualifying and races, which allowed them to build an early advantage.
PREMA Racing follows in second with 45 points. Although Nakamura-Berta dominated Qualifying and won Race 1, inconsistent results elsewhere limited the team’s total.
R-ace GP and CL Motorsport share third place on 43 points. Al Dhaheri’s consistency underpinned R-ace GP’s score, while Francot’s victory proved decisive for CL Motorsport. Meanwhile, Rodin Motorsport sits fifth with 35 points, driven by Ninovic’s strong performances.
2026 FREC Teams’ Standings after Round 1 (Spielberg)
- MP Motorsport – 54
- PREMA Racing – 45
- R-ace GP – 43
- CL Motorsport – 43
- Rodin Motorsport – 35
- Van Amersfoort Racing – 18
- Trident Motorsport – 16
- ART Grand Prix – 4
- RPM – 4
- G4 Racing – 0
Early momentum but no clear favourite
Overall, the Spielberg round confirmed that the 2026 season will be fiercely competitive. The Collective Test highlighted the field’s depth, while Qualifying sessions emphasised the importance of precision.
At the same time, the races rewarded consistency amid chaos. Therefore, although Francot leads the standings, the margins remain extremely tight.
Looking ahead, the championship remains wide open, with multiple drivers and teams capable of challenging for the title as the season unfolds.
