Emanuele Olivieri crowned inaugural FIA FR European champion at Hockenheim

Emanuele Olivieri captured the inaugural FIA FR European championship following a dramatic four-way title showdown at Hockenheim. The Italian driver, competing for the French R-ace GP squad, navigated a tense season finale to claim the crown after eight events and 19 races across the calendar. Olivieri entered the final day at the top of the standings, having already sealed the Rookie title earlier in the year at Imola, while his team also wrapped up the Teams' championship.

The season-ending race was won by American competitor Sebastian Wheldon, who delivered a commanding drive from pole position to claim his fourth victory of the campaign, more than any of his rivals managed over the course of the year. Driving for MP Motorsport, Wheldon executed a clean race at the front of the field, though his earlier mistakes in the middle of the season ultimately kept him from overhauling Olivieri at the summit of the championship table.

Behind the leaders, the championship battle took a decisive turn when Briton Kean Nakamura-Berta, running second for Prema Racing, became caught up in a collision with RPM's Race 1 winner Jan Przyrowski. The incident dropped Nakamura-Berta down to seventh place, extinguishing his title hopes and pushing him down to third in the final standings behind Wheldon. Meanwhile, Alexander Abkhazava rounded out the podium by finishing third for MP Motorsport.

Reflecting on his championship triumph, Olivieri admitted that the milestone still felt surreal after a challenging opening phase to the year. The former Formula 4 graduate praised the unwavering support from R-ace GP through the difficult early rounds. Starting the final race from fourth on the grid, Olivieri made a strong getaway and capitalized on the drama unfolding ahead of him to climb into second position, where he chose to manage his pace rather than chase an unnecessary victory against Wheldon.

Wheldon expressed mixed emotions after the chequered flag, balancing the satisfaction of his fourth win with the realization of what might have been. The MP Motorsport driver acknowledged that consistency issues during the summer months cost him the title, but he highlighted the steep learning curve and personal progression he experienced throughout the year as positive takeaways for his future career development. Rashid Al Dhaheri of R-ace GP, who also began the finale with an outside chance at the title, finished outside the points in 11th.

The 2026 season marks the debut of the newly structured FIA FREC series, which succeeds the previous Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine under direct governance and support from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. Positioned squarely between Formula 4 and higher tiers on the single-seater development ladder, the championship utilizes the second-generation Tatuus T 326 chassis equipped with Pirelli tyres and engineered to mirror Formula 1 aerodynamic principles for improved racing action.

A notable technical addition for the 2026 championship is the integration of the Race Mode push-to-pass system, developed collaboratively by the FIA and constructor Tatuus. The mechanism grants drivers access to maximum engine performance via a cockpit button, allotting a total bank of 100 seconds per race depending on tactical deployment. The championship results remain subject to final official confirmation by the governing body.

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