FORMULA REGIONAL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS TO MONZA
The Formula Regional European Championship reaches the halfway point of its season this weekend at Monza, with a closely fought title battle continuing to take shape. The introduction of the new Tatuus T-326 chassis has contributed to closer racing and a wider variety of winners, with multiple drivers taking their first victories in the series.
The previous round at Spa-Francorchamps was heavily disrupted by rain on Saturday, which led to the cancellation of the sprint race. Despite only two races taking place, full points were awarded in both. Those races produced two first-time winners, as ART Grand Prix’s Alexandre Munoz and Trident’s Maximilian Popov both claimed maiden victories in the championship. Both drivers will be aiming to build on that momentum at Monza, where three races are scheduled.
Several drivers also delivered breakthrough performances in Belgium. RPM’s Jan Przyrowski, R-ace GP’s Yuki Sano, and G4 Racing’s Marcus Saeter all achieved their best results of the season so far, highlighting the growing competitiveness of the field. Championship leader Sebastien Wheldon, driving for MP Motorsport, endured a more difficult weekend but still collected points with finishes of P5 and P10.
Wheldon’s consistency, however, was not enough to maintain the championship lead, as R-ace GP’s Rashid Al Dhaheri moved to the top of the standings after Spa. The Emirati driver has finished inside the top five in all seven races this season and now leads the championship by a single point. Prema Racing’s Kean Nakamura-Berta and CL Motorsport’s Reno Francot remain close contenders, both having already taken race wins earlier in the season at the opening round in Austria. Alex Ninovic completes the top five in the standings and remains within reach of the leaders with the season still finely balanced.
The championship picture after Spa sees Rashid Al Dhaheri on 94 points, followed by Sebastien Wheldon on 93 points. Kean Nakamura-Berta sits third on 81 points, ahead of Reno Francot on 70 points, while Alex Ninovic holds fifth place on 41 points.
This weekend’s action at Monza is expected to take place in hot and dry conditions, with air temperatures forecast to reach up to 38°C. Tyre management could therefore play a decisive role across all three races.
Race One is scheduled for Saturday at 10:20 local time, followed by the sprint race at 16:30. The final race of the weekend will take place on Sunday at 13:00, when temperatures are expected to peak.
Rodin Motorsport will be aiming for their first victory of the season after a solid opening phase. Australian driver Alex Ninovic and British driver Reza Seewooruthun have both already reached the podium for the New Zealand–based team, while teammate Gabriel Gomez has scored two points finishes and currently sits 17th in the standings. Despite his position, Gomez has shown stronger pace than his results suggest so far.
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