GB3 champion Alex Ninovic and AU4 winner Brock Burton among 71 racing in Middle East
An enormous field will descend on both the FR Middle East and the newly rebranded UAE4 series this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
SYDNEY–A staggering 71 drivers will descend on Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit this weekend for the first round of the region's open-wheel calendar.
Friday marks the beginning of the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy as well as the UAE4 Series, each setting off on a four-round, twelve-race tour of the Middle East.
The first two rounds will take place at Yas Marina before the series moves to Dubai Autodrome, with the final round at Qatar's Lusail circuit on February 11-13.
Unlike bigger contingents from previous years, Australia will have just one driver in each series, with Alex Ninovic to take on the FR Middle East series while Brock Burton will contest the UAE4 title.
Alex Ninovic was a deserving champion last year after an all-Aussie battle for the GB3 championship title, and heads to the Middle East in preparation for a campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship, arguably the world's premier Formula Regional series.
Brock Burton joins Dubai-based Xcel Motorsport ready to take on a global field for the first time after making his car racing debut in the 2025 Au4 series back home.
2026 Formula Regional Middle East Trophy
The FR Middle East series will mark the debut of the new Tatuus T-326 FIA Formula Regional car, the second generation of Formula Regional machinery since the category was formalised in 2019.
Tatuus says the new car is "lighter, more stable, and more responsive," and features "increased overall downforce and reduced wake effect" to promote overtaking and better racing.
The car, which will be driven by 32 drivers from eleven teams, is powered by a 1.6 litre, 3-cylinder Toyota engine, with the cars running on Pirelli tyres.
2026 UAE4 Series
While the FR Middle East series is now well established, it is the first year for the UAE4, the non-FIA-certified successor of F4 Middle East Championship.
Drivers as young as 15 years of age, several making the first move to car racing, will join the field of 39 drivers from eleven teams in what promises to be an exciting season.
Teams & Drivers
2026 Formula Regional Middle East Trophy
Mumbai Falcons by PREMA Racing
Kean Nakamura-Berta (JPN)
Sebastian Wheldon (USA)
Salim Hanna (COL)
ART Grand Prix
Taito Kato (JPN) - Rounds 1-3
Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak (THA) - Round 4
Kabir Anurag (SGN)
Matteo Giaccardi (MON)
R-ace GP
Rashid Al Dhaheri (UAE)
Yuki Sano (JPN)
Gerrard Xie (CHN) - Rounds 1-2
Emanuele Olivieri (ITA) - Rounds 3-4
Rodin Motorsport
Alex Ninovic (AUS)
Reza Seewooruthun (UK)
Maxim Rehm (GER)
Trident Motorsport
Kai Daryanani (IND)
Maksimilian Popov (ITA)
Andrija Kostić (SRB)
MP Motorsport
Christian Ho (SGN) - Rounds 1-2
Alexander Abkhazava (GEO)
Alceu Feldmann (BRA)
Van Amersfoort Racing
Felix Fu Yuhao (CHN)
Dion Gowda (IND)
Francisco Macedo (POR)
Pinnacle Motorsport
Alex Powell (USA)
August Raber (SWE)
G4 Racing
Jules Roussel (FRA)
Andrea Dupé (FRA)
Artem Severiukhin (AIN)
CL Motorsport
Michael Belov (KGZ)
Chi Zhenrui (CHN)
Enea Frey (SUI)
RPM
Jan Przyrowski (POL)
Miguel Costa (BRA)
Giovanni Maschio (ITA)
2026 UAE4 Series
R-ace GP
Kenzo Craigie (UK)
Andy Consani (FRA)
Emily Cotty (UK)
Elia Weiss (GER)
Tomika Gender (HUN)
Mumbai Falcons by PREMA Racing
Alp Aksoy (TUR)
Niccolò Maccagnani (ITA)
Oleksandr Bondarev (UKR)
Kingsley Zheng Kwan Ho (CHN)
PREMA Racing
Christian Costoya (ESP)
Payton Westcott (USA)
David Cosma-Cristofor (ROU)
Evans GP (AUS)
Alba Larsen (DEN)
Thomas Ingram-Hill (UK)
Rafael Vaessen (SGP)
Ben Nguyen (VIE)
Hitech
Scott Kin Lindblom (SWE)
Theo Palmer (UAE)
QMMF by Hitech
Bader Al Sulaiti (QAT)
Sheikh Nasser Al Thani (QAT)
Yas Heat Racing Academy
Adam Al Azhari (UAE)
Zakaria Doleh (UAE)
Edoardo Iacobucci (UAE)
Charbel Abi Gebrayel (UAE)
Pinnacle Motorsport
Rowan Campbell-Pilling (UK)
Kaylee Countryman (USA)
Ryusho Nakazato (JPN)
Vladimir Verkholantsev (AIN)
Xcel Motorsport
Joseph Smith (UK)
Jarrett Clark (UK)
Brock Burton (AUS)
Jaber Alsabah (KUW)
X-GP
Lucas Pasquinetti (ITA)
PHM Racing
Emma Felbermayr (AUT)
Iacopo Martinese (ITA)
Platon Kostin (AIN)
Trident Motorsport
Bernardo Bernoldi (BRA)
Florentin Hattemer (SUI)
Dominik Simek (CZE)
