FRME | 2026 | Round 2 | Yas Marina

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Rashid Al Dhaheri capped off a commanding weekend at Yas Marina by winning the final race of Round 2 of the 2026 Formula Regional Middle East (FRME) Trophy. The R-ace GP driver converted a front-row start into a hard-fought victory in a race punctuated by two Safety Car periods and decisive opening-lap moves. Behind him, Kean Nakamura-Berta and pole-sitter Sebastian Wheldon completed the podium after a tense and strategically complex contest.

Wheldon leads from pole

Sebastian Wheldon led the field away from pole position for Mumbai Falcons Racing, with Rashid Al Dhaheri lining up alongside him on the front row. Just behind, Kean Nakamura-Berta started third for Mumbai Falcons Racing, while ART Grand Prix’s Kabir Anurag completed the second row in fourth.

Alex Powell lined up fifth for Pinnacle Motorsport ahead of MP Motorsport’s Alexander Abkhazava in sixth. R-ace GP’s Yuki Sano and G4 Racing’s Artem Severiukhin occupied seventh and eighth respectively, with ART Grand Prix’s Taito Kato and Pinnacle Motorsport’s August Raber rounding out the top ten.

Miguel Costa started 11th for RPM, alongside Trident’s Maximilian Popov in 12th. MP Motorsport’s Christian Ho and R-ace GP’s Gerrard Xie followed, ahead of Trident’s Andrija Kostic and Mumbai Falcons Racing’s Salim Hanna. Van Amersfoort Racing’s Dion Gowda and Francisco Macedo lined up next, followed by G4 Racing’s Andrea Dupé.

Further back, RPM’s Jan Przyrowski and Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Ninovic occupied the midfield, ahead of Trident’s Kai Daryanani and G4 Racing’s Jules Roussel. ART Grand Prix’s Matteo Giaccardi and CL Motorsport’s Enea Frey followed, with Rodin Motorsport’s Maxim Rehm and Reza Seewooruthun lining up behind them. RPM’s Giovanni Maschio and CL Motorsport’s Zhenrui Chi started near the rear, alongside Van Amersfoort Racing’s Yuhao Fu, while MP Motorsport’s Alceu Feldmann Neto completed the grid in 31st.

Al Dhaheri strikes at start to claim lead at Yas Marina

As the lights went out, Al Dhaheri made full use of his front-row position. He drew alongside Wheldon immediately and claimed the inside line into Turn 1. Although Wheldon attempted to hold firm around the outside, he ran wide on the exit. Consequently, Nakamura-Berta capitalised and slipped through into second place.

By the end of the opening lap, the race had already swung decisively in Al Dhaheri’s favour. However, drama quickly followed as the race soon went under Safety Car conditions after an incident at the Corkscrew between Maximilian Popov and August Raber. The clash ended Popov’s impressive run of consistency and left his Trident stranded in the run-off.

Once racing resumed, Al Dhaheri controlled the pace confidently, leading Nakamura-Berta and Wheldon for several laps. However, further interruption soon followed.

Second neutralisation resets the battle but Al Dhaheri holds firm to the flag

A collision between Dion Gowda and Francisco Macedo brought out the Safety Car for a second time. Macedo received a penalty for the incident, while Gowda’s stricken car came to rest near pit entry at Turn 7.

After another restart, five laps of racing remained. Nakamura-Berta closed the gap and briefly threatened a move for the lead. Nevertheless, Al Dhaheri responded calmly, edging clear just enough to remain in control.

Despite mounting pressure, Al Dhaheri maintained his composure and crossed the line 0.927 seconds clear to claim his second win of the weekend. Nakamura-Berta secured second place, while Wheldon completed the podium after recovering from his opening-lap setback.

Behind them, Alexander Abkhazava secured fourth after completing a decisive outside pass on Kabir Anurag at Turn 1 on the opening lap. Anurag, however, still claimed third in the Rookie classification behind Nakamura-Berta and Wheldon.

Midfield fights shape the final order

Alex Powell defended strongly after the second Safety Car to secure sixth place, holding off sustained pressure from Yuki Sano. Sano ultimately finished seventh, while Taito Kato delivered a solid drive to take eighth.

Artem Severiukhin and Miguel Costa completed the points-paying positions in ninth and tenth respectively, rounding out a race defined by sharp execution, resilience under pressure, and decisive moments at the front.

Al Dhaheri’s victory placed him ahead of Nakamura-Berta and Wheldon on the final podium. Abkhazava and Anurag followed, with Powell, Sano, and Kato next in line. Further back, strong recoveries and attrition shaped the final order as Popov and Gowda finished well down after extended delays.