Photo: ACI Sport
Prema has announced that Sebastian Wheldon will be part of its Formula Regional European Championship line-up this year.
The 17-year-old joined the Mumbai Falcons squad that Prema provides technical support to for a race-winning Formula Trophy cameo at the end of 2024, then raced for the Italian outfit across three championships in 2025.
He came seventh in Formula 4 Middle East with one podium, fourth in E4 with one victory and two other podiums, and his six wins in Italian F4 put him third in the standings. Later in the year he raced in the FIA F4 World Cup in Macau and came fourth.
“It feels great to be back with Prema and to move up to FREC this year. We had a really good first season, winning races in F4, and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish in 2026!” said Wheldon.
“I feel adjusted to the European environment and feel at home within the team. I want to thank TWG Motorsports for continuing to support me. Excited for what’s ahead!”
TWG owns Cadillac’s Formula 1 team and Andretti Global, which races in Formula E and IndyCar.
Wheldon, son of the late 2005 IndyCar champion Dan, has been an Andretti junior since 2021. His single-seater career began in 2023, when he won the USA’s Skip Barber Formula Race Series, and the following year he was YACademy Winter Series runner-up then third in IndyCar support series USF Juniors with four victories.
Wheldon picked up his first competitive FRegional experience last month, racing for Mumbai Falcons in FRegional Middle East. He came fifth in the standings with three podiums and a pole.
“Sebastian has been really impressive since his very first steps with the team,” said Prema’s team principal and chief executive officer Stephen Mitas. “He is a hard worker and a strong competitor, and we are confident that, working together, we will be up to pace with the series’ new package.”
The final version of FREC’s 2026 calendar has been released, and features several differences from the draft schedule. Mugello was absent from the calendar for the first time last year, and had been set to return while the Nurburgring was in contention to be raced on by FREC for the first time.
With the season downscaling from 10 to eight rounds this year, those two tracks’ spots would have come at the expense of the Hungaroring and Imola. Instead, the latter two tracks will continue to host FREC and Imola will be one of four venues to have featured every season.
The Red Bull Ring hosts round one on April 24-26, then there are trips to Zandvoort (May 22-24), Spa-Francorchamps (May 29-31) and Monza (June 19-21). The paddock heads to the Hungaroring on July 3-5, and Paul Ricard is raced at two weeks later. After a summer break, Imola and Hockenheim host the last two rounds in the first two weekends of September.
It has been confirmed, as Formula Scout reported, that several rounds will feature three races.