The second round of the 2026 Formula Regional Middle East (FRME) Trophy at Yas Marina not only confirmed early trends from the season opener, but also amplified the importance of execution under pressure. Once again, three demanding races exposed drivers to interruptions, Safety Car periods and rapidly changing competitive circumstances. Consequently, the standings after Round 2 now provide a far clearer indication of who has adapted best to the championship’s rhythm and intensity.
Drivers’ Championship: Al Dhaheri converts control into a decisive advantage
After six races, Rashid Al Dhaheri has emerged as the clear reference point in the Drivers’ Championship. Crucially, he leaves Yas Marina with 103 points, having combined speed, race craft and discipline throughout Round 2. While others fluctuated, Al Dhaheri repeatedly placed himself at the front and, just as importantly, stayed there.
Behind him, Kean Nakamura-Berta climbs to second on 68 points, and he does so through persistence as much as outright results. Although he missed out on victory despite strong qualifying performances, he consistently converted front-running pace into major points. Therefore, even without a win, he positioned himself as Al Dhaheri’s most credible challenger heading into the next phase of the season.
Meanwhile, Alex Powell rises to third with 49 points, marking one of the most significant momentum shifts of the weekend. Initially hampered by mixed fortunes, he nevertheless responded with controlled recovery drives and a key podium finish.
Further back, Alexander Abkhazava, Maximilian Popov and Alex Ninovic share fourth place on 46 points, yet they arrive there via contrasting narratives. Abkhazava relied on raw pace and resilience after setbacks, Popov leaned on consistency and strategic awareness, while Ninovic vaulted forward thanks to a commanding Race 2 victory. As a result, this trio represents a volatile pressure group capable of reshaping the standings rapidly.
Elsewhere, Christian Ho remains seventh on 44 points after another quietly efficient weekend. At the same time, Kabir Anurag and Sebastian Wheldon continue to trade positions just behind him, each benefiting from flashes of speed offset by moments of disruption. Further still, Miguel Costa, Yuki Sano and Jan Przyrowski all remain within reach of the top ten, ensuring that the midfield battle retains both density and unpredictability.
2026 FRME: Yas Marina: Driver Standings after Round 2
- Rashid Al Dhaheri – 103 points
- Kean Nakamura-Berta – 68 points
- Alex Powell – 49 points
- Alexander Abkhazava – 46 points
Maximilian Popov – 46 points
Alex Ninovic – 46 points - Christian Ho – 44 points
- Kabir Anurag – 38 points
- Sebastian Wheldon – 33 points
- Miguel Costa – 26 points
- Yuki Sano – 23 points
- Jan Przyrowski – 18 points
- Artem Severiukhin – 14 points
Taito Kato – 14 points - Salim Hanna – 12 points
- Zhenrui Chi – 8 points
Francisco Macedo – 8 points - Andrija Kostic – 4 points
- Maxim Rehm – 2 points
Reza Seewooruthun – 2 points - Gerrard Xie – 1 point
Jules Roussel – 1 point - Enea Frey – 0 points
Alceu Feldmann Neo – 0 points
Matteo Giaccardi – 0 points
August Raber – 0 points
Dion Gowda – 0 points
Michael Belov – 0 points
Andrea Dupé – 0 points
Yuhao Fu – 0 points
Kai Daryanani – 0 points
Giovanni Machio – 0 points
Rookie Cup: Momentum swings back towards Nakamura-Berta
In the Rookie Cup, Round 2 produced a notable shift in momentum. Nakamura-Berta now leads the standings on 95 points and, crucially, he built that advantage through relentless point-scoring rather than isolated peaks. Even when race victories proved elusive, he maximised every opportunity. As a result, he converted consistency into a meaningful championship cushion.
However, Popov remains firmly in contention on 78 points. Although his Round 2 campaign ended with frustration in Race 3, he limited the damage by securing a Race 2 podium and maintaining a steady scoring pattern. Consequently, the gap remains manageable rather than decisive.
Powell strengthens his position in third with 70 points and, once again, underlined his adaptability across varying race scenarios. Meanwhile, Anurag and Costa follow closely behind, each benefiting from clean execution during the most unpredictable phases of the weekend. Therefore, the fight for the podium positions in the Rookie Cup remains highly fluid.
Behind them, Wheldon, Severiukhin and Przyrowski all capitalised on specific race circumstances, particularly in mixed conditions. Furthermore, Hanna, Dupé and Kostic continued to accumulate steadily, which ensures that the lower half of the Rookie Cup standings remains tightly packed rather than settled.
2026 FRME: Yas Marina: Rookie Cup Standings after Round 2
- Kean Nakamura-Berta – 95 points
- Maximilian Popov – 78 points
- Alex Powell – 70 points
- Kabir Anurag – 65 points
- Miguel Costa – 53 points
- Sebastian Wheldon – 48 points
- Artem Severiukhin – 47 points
- Jan Przyrowski – 47 points
- Salim Hanna – 26 points
- Andrea Dupé – 19 points
- Andrija Kostic – 18 points
- Jules Roussel – 16 points
- Maxim Rehm – 15 points
- August Raber – 4 points
Matheo Giaccardi – 4 points - Yuhao Fu – 3 points
- Enea Frey – 2 points
Teams’ Championship: R-ace GP opens clear daylight
In the Teams’ Championship, Round 2 marked a decisive moment. R-ace GP now leads with 132 points and, importantly, achieved this advantage through balance rather than reliance on a single result. Al Dhaheri’s victories provided the headline moments, yet consistent secondary scoring ensured the team avoided the volatility that affected several rivals. Consequently, R-ace GP now controls the narrative heading into the next round.
Behind them, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited moves into second on 101 points. Although race wins escaped them, strong qualifying form and repeated podium contention ensured a healthy return. As a result, they remain the most credible challengers to the championship leaders.
MP Motorsport sits third on 90 points, supported by Alex Ninovic’s Race 2 victory and solid contributions elsewhere. However, incidents and penalties ultimately capped their maximum potential. Meanwhile, ART Grand Prix, Trident and Pinnacle Motorsport remain separated by only narrow margins, which keeps the fight for fourth wide open.
Further back, Rodin Motorsport and RPM both benefited from standout individual performances that allowed them to consolidate their positions. At the same time, the lower-ranked teams continued to search for momentum as the competitive order began to stretch.
2026 FRME: Yas Marina: Team Standings after Round 2
Ahead of each event, each team nominated two drivers who accumulated the teams’ points
- R-ace GP – 132 points
- Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited – 101 points
- MP Motorsport – 90 points
- ART Grand Prix – 52 points
- Trident – 50 points
- Pinnacle Motorsport – 49 points
- Rodin Motorsport – 48 points
- RPM – 44 points
- G4 Racing – 15 points
- CL Motorsport – 8 points
Van Amersfoort Racing – 8 points
Overall outlook after Round 2
In conclusion, Round 2 at Yas Marina transformed early-season promise into clearer competitive patterns. Al Dhaheri translated control into a commanding lead, while Nakamura-Berta responded with sustained pressure rather than desperation. Simultaneously, the Rookie Cup tightened at the front even as the midfield remained volatile.
Looking ahead, the standings suggest growing separation, but not inevitability. Instead, they underline a championship shaped by composure, timing and adaptability. As the season unfolds, those qualities look increasingly decisive — especially in a series where every race continues to demand more than just outright speed.
