FRME | 2026 | Round 2 | Yas Marina

Spread the love

Alex Ninovic claimed a controlled and confident victory in Race 2 of Round 2 of the 2026 Formula Regional Middle East (FRME) Trophy at Yas Marina, as mixed track conditions and late drama shaped a tense contest. Starting from pole, the Rodin Motorsport driver overcame an early setback, reclaimed the lead on the opening lap, and then managed the race expertly before a late Safety Car sealed his maiden win in the category. Jan Przyrowski and Maximilian Popov completed the podium, while several standout drives unfolded deeper in the pack.

Ninovic on pole after Kostic disqualified

Alex Ninovic lined up on pole position for Rodin Motorsport, with RPM’s Jan Przyrowski alongside him on the front row. Just behind, Alexander Abkhazava, the winner of Round 1 Race 1, started third for MP Motorsport, while Van Amersfoort Racing’s Francisco Macedo completed the second row in fourth.

Moving back to the third row, Trident’s Maximilian Popov and Mumbai Falcons Racing’s Sebastian Wheldon occupied fifth and sixth respectively. Further back, ART Grand Prix’s Kabir Anurag lined up seventh, with G4 Racing’s Artem Severiukhin alongside him in eighth. Completing the top ten, R-ace GP’s Yuki Sano started ninth, ahead of Pinnacle Motorsport’s Alex Powell in tenth.

On the sixth row, Mumbai Falcons Racing’s Kean Nakamura-Berta took 11th, while R-ace GP’s Rashid Al-Dhaheri lined up 12th. As a result, the top twelve reflected the reversed finishing order from Race 1.

Behind them, R-ace GP’s Gerrard Xie started from 13th, alongside ART Grand Prix’s Taito Kato in 14th. Meanwhile, G4 Racing’s Andrea Dupé and RPM’s Miguel Costa filled the seventh row, ahead of MP Motorsport’s Christian Ho and G4 Racing’s Jules Roussel.

Continuing down the grid, RPM’s Giovanni Maschio and Pinnacle Motorsport’s August Raber lined up 19th and 20th respectively. Just behind, CL Motorsport’s Zhenrui Chi and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Dion Gowda occupied row eleven, followed by CL Motorsport’s Enea Frey and Mumbai Falcons Racing’s Salim Hanna.

Towards the back, Trident’s Kai Daryanani started from 25th, ahead of ART Grand Prix’s Matteo Giaccardi, Rodin Motorsport’s Maxim Rehm, Van Amersfoort Racing’s Yuhao Fu and MP Motorsport’s Alceu Feldman Neto, who returned to action after a heavy Race 1 crash.

Finally, Trident’s Andrija Kostic began from 30th after disqualification from Race 1 due to a technical infringement, while Rodin Motorsport’s Reza Seewooruthun started last in 31st following a two-place grid penalty.

Tricky conditions set the scene for Race 2 at Yas Marina Circuit

Following torrential rain that curtailed the 2026 F4 UAE Championship round, the circuit remained unpredictable. Although the surface had dried in places, alternating wet and dry patches created a constant challenge. As a result, race control started proceedings behind the Safety Car, with standing water still visible around the track.

Meanwhile, August Raber and Andrija Kostic rolled the dice by switching from wet tyres to slicks before the green flag. That bold decision dropped both drivers to the back, yet it hinted at potential gains if the track dried further.

Przyrowski strikes early, Ninovic responds

Once the field went green with just over 22 minutes remaining, Jan Przyrowski launched superbly from the front row. As Alex Ninovic ran wide, the RPM driver seized the lead and immediately began pulling clear, building a two-second advantage within a single lap.

However, Ninovic refused to panic. Despite mounting pressure from MP Motorsport’s Alexander Abkhazava, the Rodin driver kept Przyrowski within reach. Then, at Turn 1 on Lap 6, Ninovic executed a decisive move down the inside to reclaim the lead. From that moment on, he dictated the pace.

Behind them, several drivers struggled for grip. Artem Severiukhin sustained damage during an early incident and limped back to the pit lane, although Sebastian Wheldon escaped the clash unscathed.

Ninovic controls Race 2; and Popov shines in P3

Once back in front, Ninovic immediately focused on creating breathing space. Lap after lap, he stretched the gap as the chasing pack fought both the conditions and each other. By the end of Lap 10, he held a 2.334-second advantage and looked firmly in control.

However, the race took another twist shortly afterwards. Contact at Turn 1 sent Alceu Feldman Neto into the barriers, forcing race control to deploy the Safety Car once again. With too little time remaining, officials neutralised the race to the finish, allowing Ninovic to cross the line under caution and secure his first FRME Trophy win for Rodin Motorsport.

Behind the leading duo, the battle for third provided sustained intrigue. Abkhazava initially held third place but soon came under attack from Trident’s Maximilian Popov. The German driver made his move stick and then brought Sebastian Wheldon and Kean Nakamura-Berta with him.

Although Popov showed strong pace, the leaders had already escaped. Consequently, he settled for third and completed the podium. Wheldon followed home in fourth, also securing third place in the Rookie classification behind Przyrowski and Popov.

Macedo’s charge ends in penalty

Further back, Francisco Macedo delivered one of the fastest drives of Race 2 of Round 2 of the 2026 FRME Trophy at Yas Marina. After early contact—an incident for which Artem Severiukhin took the blame—the Van Amersfoort Racing driver dropped outside the top ten. Nevertheless, Macedo regrouped impressively and charged back through the field.

He eventually passed Nakamura-Berta on the road to claim fifth, while Wheldon just held him off for fourth. However, stewards later penalised Macedo for leaving the track to overtake Abkhazava. That decision dropped him to 12th in the final classification and erased a remarkable recovery.

Midfield battles and stunning recoveries at Yas Marina

The midfield delivered some of the race’s most exciting moments. At Turn 9, R-ace GP’s Yuki Sano stunned spectators by passing both Kabir Anurag and Abkhazava in a single audacious move. Even so, Anurag responded immediately, fighting back to finish sixth for ART Grand Prix.

RPM’s Miguel Costa continued his strong weekend by overtaking Sano to claim seventh. Meanwhile, Jules Roussel rounded out the top ten for G4 Racing with a measured and consistent drive.

Perhaps the drive of the day belonged to Reza Seewooruthun. After starting 31st and last following a post-race penalty from Race 1, the Rodin Motorsport driver carved his way through the field. He gained position after position and ultimately finished ninth, completing a remarkable comeback just one day after crashing out of the previous race.

Final classification sealed under Safety Car

As the track finally began to dry, hopes of a late restart faded. The Safety Car remained on track until the chequered flag, confirming Ninovic as the winner ahead of Przyrowski and Popov. The result marked a milestone moment for both Ninovic and Rodin Motorsport in the FRME Trophy.