The first pole-sitters of Spa Euro Race 2026 are confirmed
With no fewer than 15 private testing, free practice and qualifying sessions, the opening day of Spa Euro Race 2026 was as intense as it was sunny, with no major incidents reported at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. As expected, the FIA Formula Regional European Championship and the GB3 Championship were the busiest categories on track, and the first pole-sitters of the weekend have now been decided.
The FIA FREC was the first category to hit the track and determine the starting grid for Race 1, scheduled for Saturday at 10:05 am. Qualifying Group B proved faster than Group A, allowing Frenchman Alexandre Munoz (ART Grand Prix) to claim pole position. On the front row, he will be joined by Rashid Al-Dhaheri (Trident Motorsport), who was quickest in Group A.
Behind them come Briton Kean Nakamura-Berta, American championship leader Sebastian Wheldon, Australian Alex Ninovic (Rodin Motorsport), and Japanese driver Yuki Sano (R-ace GP).
It was a more difficult start to the weekend for young Belgian Thomas Strauven (CL Motorsport), who finished at the back of Group B and will be looking to move up the order on Saturday morning.
The GB3 Championship then held its double qualifying session to determine the grids for Saturday’s two races. In qualifying for Race 1, former F1 Academy driver Abbi Pulling (Rodin Motorsport) secured pole position by just 0.020 seconds ahead of teammate Maxim Rehm.
They were followed by Nikita Bedrin (VRD Racing), Hungarian Martin Molnar (Rodin Motorsport), Briton Deagen Fairclough (Hitech), and Japanese driver Jin Nakamura (Hitech), confirming that all the favourites are in contention at Spa-Francorchamps.
For Race 2, Bedrin set the benchmark early in the session and was even able to end qualifying back in the pit lane. The championship leader finished ahead of Rehm, Pulling, Fairclough, Molnar and Nakamura, underlining the strength of the leading group.
The two Caterham categories also completed their qualifying sessions. In the Roadsport & 270R group, Paul Ogglesby secured pole position ahead of Brian Thornton and Aaron Olivier. In the Roadsport class itself, Ben Oliver claimed pole ahead of Jon Bond and Oliver Smith.
In the Caterham 310R and CSCUK class, Charlie Lower was fastest ahead of Harry Senior and Taylor O’Flanagan, while William Harris topped the 310R category.
The day concluded with an entertaining qualifying session for the European GT Lite Challenge. German driver Rainer Börgens put his Lotus Exige V6 Cup R on pole ahead of Hungarian Bence Balogh in the Evora GT4 and Luxembourg driver Paul Maréchal in another Exige V6 Cup R. Mark Yates qualified sixth overall in his Ginetta G55 and topped the GT Cup standings.
Saturday promises to be another action-packed day, with the Supercar Challenge sharing the track with the P9 Challenge and Britcar. Together, they will contest a 40-minute free practice session, a 20-minute qualifying session and the opening 61-minute race late in the day.
In total, eight races are scheduled for Saturday, with more changeable weather expected. Between the opening races of FIA FREC and the GB3 Championship, as well as Race 1 for both Caterham series and the European GT Lite Challenge, the action will be non-stop at Spa-Francorchamps.
Results: https://ser2026.racspa.be/resultats