Alexandre Munoz converted pole position into a landmark 2026 Race 1 victory at Spa-Francorchamps, claiming both his maiden FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) win and the Rookie class victory.
The ART Grand Prix driver led from the front in tricky wet conditions after the race started behind the Safety Car. Although he initially built a strong advantage over Rashid Al Dhaheri and Kean Nakamura-Berta, late Safety Car interruptions brought the field back together and set up a tense final-lap fight.
Munoz resisted pressure from Al Dhaheri at the final corner and crossed the line first, becoming the first rookie to win a FREC race since Evan Giltaire in 2024. Al Dhaheri finished second for R-ace GP, while PREMA Racing’s Nakamura-Berta completed the podium.
Munoz manages new wet challenge to claim 2026 FREC Spa victory in Race 1
Munoz admitted that the wet conditions created a fresh challenge for the field, especially with the new car. However, he quickly found confidence in the opening stages and used that pace to build a gap before the Safety Cars changed the rhythm of the race.
“The wet conditions were a completely new experience for us this weekend with the new car, but the pace was really strong from the start of the race. The car felt fantastic in the opening stages and I was able to build a gap of almost two seconds to the cars behind.
“The race became quite intense towards the end, especially after the final Safety Car when Rashid was right behind me. It was all about managing the restart, staying focused and defending when necessary. In the end, we got the win, and that’s what matters most. Now the goal is to carry this momentum into tomorrow.”
His race control proved decisive. Munoz led the pack away from pole after Race Control chose a Safety Car start due to standing water on the start/finish straight. Then, once the race settled, he opened a margin over Al Dhaheri while Nakamura-Berta held third.
However, the race soon became more complicated. Dion Gowda stopped at the side of the circuit, which brought out the first Safety Car. Later, Zhenrui Chi became beached in the gravel, triggering another neutralisation and erasing Munoz’s advantage again.
Al Dhaheri left wanting more after second place
Al Dhaheri pushed Munoz hard in the closing stages and nearly found a way through at the final corner. Although second place gave R-ace GP a strong result, the Emirati driver felt he had enough pace to challenge for victory.
“To be honest, I’m a little bit greedy because I think we could have finished one position higher. We had a really good battle out there and it was quite entertaining as well.
“We hadn’t done any running in wet conditions this weekend and, in general, we still have limited experience in the wet with this new car, so I think the team did a great job giving me a package capable of fighting at the front.
“At the end of the day, it’s always easy to look back and think about what might have been, but we came away with second place, which is still a very strong result. We’ll keep working hard and I’m confident that our first win will come soon.”
His frustration came from how close he ran to Munoz after the final restart. With only one lap remaining, Al Dhaheri stayed within striking distance and kept the pressure on through the final sector.
Nevertheless, he still secured major points after topping Qualifying 1 Group A earlier in the weekend. Moreover, his pace in the wet gave R-ace GP a clear sign that its package could compete for victory in changing conditions.
Nakamura-Berta builds momentum with 2026 FREC Spa podium
Nakamura-Berta completed the podium for PREMA Racing after a composed drive in unfamiliar wet conditions. The British-Japanese driver pressured Al Dhaheri early on and stayed in the lead fight through the Safety Car phases.
“It was quite an interesting race. It was my first time driving in wet conditions at Spa, in any car, so there was a lot of adapting and improvising, especially at the start.
He continued, “It was also quite chaotic because we didn’t really know what the weather was going to do, but fortunately the rain never became too heavy and we were able to get the race underway.
“We looked quite competitive in the early stages and were putting Rashid under some pressure before the first Safety Car. After that, though, I struggled a little on the restarts. Still, it’s good to be building some momentum again. We had a decent result at Zandvoort and another solid one here with third place. We’ll keep moving forward, keep collecting points and stay patient. If we continue working like this, the results will come.”
His comments reflected a race that demanded quick adaptation. With limited wet-running experience at Spa and uncertain weather before the start, Nakamura-Berta had to learn conditions in real time while staying close to the leaders.
Although he lost some momentum on the restarts, he kept himself inside the podium battle and held third at the flag. Therefore, the result added another useful points finish after his recent progress at Zandvoort.
Safety Cars set up final-lap fight
The race’s defining drama came after the second Safety Car. Munoz had already controlled the early phase, but the late restart placed Al Dhaheri and Nakamura-Berta directly behind him with little room for error.
Sano also joined the fight after passing Sebastian Wheldon for fourth, which put four drivers close together at the front. Yet Munoz stayed calm under pressure and defended when Al Dhaheri attacked at the final corner.
That final exchange underlined the strength of the top three. Munoz managed the restart, Al Dhaheri pushed until the last braking zone, and Nakamura-Berta remained close enough to capitalise on any mistake.
Munoz takes momentum into the next 2026 FREC race at Spa
Munoz’s Spa victory marked a major step in his rookie FREC campaign. He had already delivered in Qualifying 1 by taking pole, but his Race 1 performance added race management, wet-weather control and defensive composure to the achievement.
Al Dhaheri and Nakamura-Berta also left the opening race with reasons for confidence. Both drivers showed front-running pace in conditions that none of the field had fully prepared for across the weekend.
As a result, Race 1 at Spa delivered a strong platform for all three podium finishers. However, Munoz carries the biggest momentum forward after turning pole into victory and confirming himself as a serious contender at the front.
