16 September 2026 – R-ace GP has rounded off its first season in the Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) in the best possible way! At Hockenheim in Germany, the team clinched the Team Championship title, whilst Emanuele Olivieri took the Drivers’ Championship. A week earlier, the Italian driver had secured the Rookie title at Imola.
Free Practice
On Friday, Emanuele Olivieri (#73) finished fifth in the first session before stepping up his pace to set the second-fastest time in Free Practice 2.
Yuki Sano (#12) followed a similar trajectory. After finishing thirteenth in Free Practice 1, the Japanese driver made a significant improvement to finish third in the second session.
Meanwhile, Rashid Al Dhaheri (#71) missed much of Free Practice 1 due to a mechanical issue and could only manage P30. The Emirati driver finished the second session in tenth place.
Qualifying 1
On Saturday morning, Emanuele Olivieri set the fastest time in Group 1 with a lap of 1:34.424. Yuki Sano was further down the order, whilst Rashid Al Dhaheri set the fourth-fastest time in Group 2.
The three drivers secured positions of P2 for Olivieri, P7 for Al Dhaheri and P24 for Sano on the starting grid for Race 1.
Race 1
After being involved in a collision right from the start, Emanuele Olivieri was forced to retire.
Meanwhile, Rashid Al Dhaheri put in a superb performance. Having started from seventh on the grid, he gradually worked his way up the field and ultimately secured third place on the podium.
Starting further back on the grid, Yuki Sano also battled hard throughout the race and crossed the finish line in fourteenth place.
Despite Olivieri’s retirement, Al Dhaheri’s podium finish provided R-ace GP with the points needed to secure the 2026 FREC Team Championship title. A second title (following the Rookie title at Imola) is therefore guaranteed even before the final race of the weekend!
Qualifying 2
On Sunday morning, Emanuele Olivieri finished second in Group 1, whilst Yuki Sano made significant progress compared to the first qualifying session and set the third-fastest time. Rashid Al Dhaheri, meanwhile, finished seventh in Group 2.
The three drivers thus secured their places on the grid: P4 for Emanuele Olivieri, P6 for Yuki Sano and P13 for Rashid Al Dhaheri.
Race 2
The final race of the season lived up to all expectations. Following an intense battle on the track, Emanuele Olivieri fought his way through the leading pack and crossed the finish line in second place.
Behind him, Yuki Sano also put in a superb performance. Starting sixth, the Japanese driver finished in fourth place.
Rashid Al Dhaheri, meanwhile, had a more difficult race and finished in twelfth place.
Double title for Emanuele Olivieri: Drivers’ Champion and Rookie of 2026
With the points scored in this final race, Emanuele Olivieri holds a 9-point lead in the championship and has thus secured the title of FREC 2026 Drivers’ Champion.
This adds yet another title to his list of achievements, following the Rookie title he won a week earlier at Imola.
An exceptional season for R-ace GP
Having brought the FRECA chapter to a close in 2025 with the Team title, R-ace GP has kicked off the FREC season in the best possible way, securing the Team Champion, Drivers’ Champion and Rookie Champion titles!
This achievement crowns eight rounds and several months of fierce competition, as well as the hard work of the entire team and the three drivers.
To watch the races, click here.
Next event: Macau
The European season is now over for R-ace GP, but 2026 isn’t quite over yet!
Next event: the Macau Grand Prix, from 19 to 22 November, at the legendary Guia circuit. Stay tuned to find out the R-ace GP line-up soon!