Daizun Download: FREC Spielberg - Round 1
2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship Race Report - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - Round 1
Qualifying 1 | Friday 24th April 2026
I was placed in Group B for the opening qualifying session of the season, finishing 6th in my group. While overall pole went to Prema's Keen Nakamura Berta, I showed solid pace in a clean, incident-free session to secure a respectable grid slot for Race 1. It was a positive start to the weekend, getting up to speed with the new Tatuus T326 and learning the nuances of the push-to-pass system for the races ahead.
Race 1 | Saturday 25th April 2026
A promising start turned frustrating. I got myself from 12th into the points and P8 challenging for P7 during the race and was feeling good about our pace, but contact from Francisco Meredo at turn three forced me wide, and shortly after I ran over a kerb that sent my engine into reset mode. The combination of the incident and the mechanical issue dropped me to the back of the field from 8th, which was a tough way to end what had been an encouraging opening stint. There were plenty of positives to take from the early part of the race, but ultimately it wasn't the result we deserved.
Race 2 | Saturday 25th April 2026
The weekend's highlight. By virtue of my qualifying position, I started Race 2 from pole on the reversed qualifying grid, and I made the most of it. While I dropped off at the start, due to a jump start from the other driver I held my position under intense and consistent pressure throughout, managing the push-to-pass system carefully while fending off rivals in what was a strategic as much as a physical battle. To come away with a second-place podium finish was a great reward, and it contributed to a brilliant double-podium result for Rodin Motorsport on their championship debut, a real statement of intent from the whole team. A special thank you to my mechanic George, coach Rikki and my family for their support.
Qualifying 2 | Sunday 26th April 2026
A strong turnaround in confidence. I posted a purple sector — the fastest of anyone at that stage — through sector one, and remained in contention for pole for much of the session. I ultimately finished P5 in Group B, just 0.25 seconds off the provisional pole time, which translated to P10 overall across both groups. It was an encouraging sign that the pace was there, and it set me up well for the final race of the weekend.
Race 3 | Sunday 26th April 2026
I rounded out the weekend with a solid drive to cap off a promising debut round. I made a nice move around the outside of Nakamura Berta to get myself into the top ten and was involved in close wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the race with the likes of Kai Dariani and Maximilian Popov. Dariani managed to get past me on the final lap to take the position, and I crossed the line in 11th. Not the finish I was hoping for after the highs of Race 2, but there were plenty of encouraging signs across the whole weekend to build on heading to Zandvoort.
