FRECA | 2025 Round 9 | Hockenheim | Qualifying 1 | Deligny secures fourth pole of the season - Motorsport

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Qualifying at Hockenheim delivered high drama in the penultimate round of the 2025 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA). On a cold but dry circuit, the session not only decided the front row for Sunday’s race but also intensified the battle for the championship title. Enzo Deligny of R-ace GP claimed his fourth pole of the season, while title contender Matteo De Palo ensured he remained firmly in the fight by taking the top spot in Group B. In contrast, Freddie Slater, who entered the weekend level on points with De Palo, faced a more challenging outcome and will need to recover ground in the races to maintain his advantage.

Deligny dominates Group A

Enzo Deligny claimed his fourth pole position of the 2025 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine season at Hockenheim. After previous poles at Hungaroring, Imola, and Barcelona, the R-ace GP driver once again demonstrated his authority. On a cold but dry track, with asphalt temperatures around 15 degrees, he set the pace in Group A and posted a benchmark time of 1:33.989.

The session quickly developed into a duel between Deligny and Taito Kato of ART Grand Prix. Although Kato appeared competitive early on, Deligny stamped his authority with a lap time that nobody could challenge. Freddie Slater, representing Prema Racing, managed third place in the group. Since Slater entered the weekend level on points with Matteo De Palo at the top of the standings, this result means he will start Sunday’s race from the third row and face an uphill task to defend his championship lead.

Moreover, Akshay Bohra of R-ace GP delivered a solid performance and maintained proximity to the front. Similarly, Kanato Le of ART Grand Prix showed strong pace and underlined his growing consistency within the highly competitive field.

Results for Group A in Qualifying 1:

Enzo Deligny – 1:33.989
Taito Kato
Freddie. Slater
Akshay Bohra
Kanato Le
Jin Nakamura
Michael Belov
Rashid Al Dhaheri
Edu Robinson
Giovanni Maschio
Zhenrui Chi
Yuanpu Cui
Tim Gerhards
Yaroslav Vaselaho

De Palo edges Giltaire in Group B

In the second session, Matteo De Palo emerged as the fastest driver in Group B, earning his place alongside Deligny on the front row. The Trident Motorsport racer prevailed in a close head-to-head battle with Evan Giltaire of ART Grand Prix. As a result, De Palo secured a crucial advantage in the championship fight.

Giltaire, who took second in the group, once again demonstrated his ability to challenge at the sharp end. Furthermore, Trident teammate Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi maintained his momentum from Barcelona by securing third, confirming the team’s overall strength.

Among the rookies, Dion Gowda of Van Amersfoort Racing once again impressed by finishing fourth. He not only set the rookie benchmark but also narrowly outpaced his teammate Hiyu Yamakoshi, who claimed fifth. This result further emphasised Van Amersfoort Racing’s depth of talent and consistency across its driver line-up.

Results for Group B in Qualifying 1:

Matteo De Palo – 1:34.364
Evan Giltaire
Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi
Dion Gowda
Hiyu Yamakoshi
Pedro Clerot
Nikita Bedrin
Ruiqi Liu
James Egozi
Kacper Sztuka
James Beeton
Enea Frey
Saqer Al Maosherji
Édouard Borgna

Looking ahead to race weekend

The qualifying outcome carried significant implications for the title fight. Deligny’s pole position placed him in the strongest possible position for Sunday’s race, while De Palo secured the next best opportunity by joining him on the front row. In contrast, Slater’s third-row start created a demanding challenge that could shift the championship balance. With the top contenders separated by fine margins, every decision in race management will now play a decisive role.

Saturday’s programme begins at 10:10 with the second qualifying session, which will establish the starting grid for Race 1. The first race itself will take place at 16:30 and will be broadcast live on the Championship’s official YouTube channel, on the regular television networks that cover the series, and on ACI Sport TV (Sky channel 228). Meanwhile, Sunday’s race will feature the grid set by today’s qualifying session, ensuring that the front row battle between Deligny and De Palo remains central to the weekend’s storyline.