Oleksandr Bondarev continued an exceptional FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) debut at Imola by claiming pole position for the final race of the weekend, while Emanuele Olivieri secured the other place on the front row as he looks to protect his narrow 2026 championship lead.
The Van Amersfoort Racing driver produced a 1:38.728 in Group A, edging Reno Francot by only 0.009s and beating Olivieri’s Group B benchmark by 0.099s. Bondarev’s result followed his runner-up finish in Race 2, giving him another opportunity to fight at the front during his first FREC appearance.
Olivieri, meanwhile, recovered from a difficult opening phase in Qualifying 2 to top Group B with a 1:38.827. With Sebastian Wheldon and his other championship rivals starting further back, the R-ace GP driver intends to balance his pursuit of victory against the need to avoid unnecessary risk.
Bondarev surprised by immediate FREC competitiveness
Bondarev admitted that his pace across the Imola weekend exceeded his expectations. Despite stepping into the championship for the first time, he quickly adapted to the Van Amersfoort Racing package and followed his Race 2 podium with overall pole on Sunday morning.
However, the Ukrainian did not enjoy a completely straightforward Qualifying session. An off-track moment increased the pressure before his final attempt, leaving him needing to put together a clean lap when it mattered most.
“It has been a mega weekend, honestly. I didn’t expect it, to be honest. It was a really good lap, although we started qualifying slightly off the pace. I went off on one of my laps, which made me a little nervous, but I managed to put everything together on the final lap and take pole position. The car was amazing and I couldn’t have asked for more. A massive thank you to the team for giving me a car I could fight with and put on overall pole.
“We’ll have to see how the race unfolds. A lot will depend on the start and whether there is a Safety Car, but I’ll try to stay calm, as I have done throughout the weekend. Hopefully, we can achieve another really strong result this afternoon.”
The final lap proved decisive. Bondarev found the time he needed after the chequered flag and displaced Francot from provisional pole, completing another major step in a debut weekend that has already established him among the frontrunners.
Calm approach remains central for Bondarev
Bondarev’s comments also underline the approach he plans to carry into Race 3. Rather than changing his mindset because he now starts from pole, he wants to remain composed and react to the race as it develops.
The opening lap will inevitably carry added importance, particularly with Olivieri alongside him and Francot directly behind. However, repeated Safety Car periods during Race 2 demonstrated how quickly any early advantage can disappear at Imola.
Bondarev therefore expects the race to depend on more than the start alone. Restarts and race neutralisations could repeatedly bring the field back together, forcing him to execute under pressure several times.
Nevertheless, he enters the finale with growing confidence after showing both qualifying speed and race pace across his first FREC weekend.
Olivieri recovers from difficult start to Qualifying
Olivieri faced a more challenging route to the front row. The Italian struggled to generate sufficient temperature in the front tyres during the opening phase of Group B, leaving him only around fifth when Kostić’s off brought out the Red Flag.
Once Qualifying resumed, R-ace GP positioned him effectively for his final attempt. The tow ahead, combined with tyres finally operating in the correct window, allowed Olivieri to produce his fastest lap of the session.
“It was a really tough qualifying session for me. At the beginning, I was struggling to get temperature into the front tyres, so I had quite a lot of understeer and was only around fifth in the group when the red flag came out. After the restart, the team put me in a very good position, with a useful tow ahead of me.
“On the final lap, everything came together: the tyres were working well, the car was mega and I was really happy with my execution. It was a good lap and I’m delighted to be back on the front row.
“With only three races remaining in the championship, I won’t attempt any silly moves, especially as my rivals are all starting behind me. I’ll simply try to do my best. I think we have the pace to win, but even if we finish second, I would still be happy with that. We’ll see what happens.”
His final lap moved him more than two tenths clear of Roussel in Group B and secured second on the combined Race 3 grid.
Olivieri prioritises championship over unnecessary risk
The championship situation shapes Olivieri’s approach more directly than Bondarev’s. After winning Race 1, the R-ace GP driver moved two points ahead of Wheldon at the top of the Drivers’ standings.
That narrow margin normally leaves little room for caution. However, Wheldon will start considerably further back, while several other championship contenders also line up behind Olivieri.
Therefore, the Italian does not need to treat victory as the only acceptable outcome. A clean podium finish could still provide a valuable championship gain if his rivals struggle to recover through the field.
Although Olivieri believes R-ace GP has the pace to fight for the win, he intends to avoid the kind of low-percentage move that could turn an advantageous starting position into a non-score.
Different priorities shape Imola front row
Bondarev and Olivieri therefore arrive on the same front row with very different objectives.
Bondarev can focus almost entirely on converting his debut pole into another standout result. He carries no championship pressure and has already exceeded expectations with second place in Race 2 and pole for the finale.
Olivieri, by contrast, must judge every move through the lens of the title fight. He has the pace to challenge, but he also knows that simply finishing strongly ahead of his rivals could prove more valuable than risking everything for victory.
That contrast should add another strategic layer to Race 3. Bondarev has every incentive to attack for his maiden win, while Olivieri must balance the same ambition against the wider championship picture.
