Photo: Fotospeedy
Euroformula is committed to continuing being an alternative to FIA F3 for drivers based in Europe, but there’s now another Spanish-run third-tier single-seater series on the continent seeking the same market space
The pyramid to Formula 1 can sometimes be a tricky one to draw out, since Formula 2 and Formula 3 are now the names of spec championships rather than actual formulas, and Formula 4 is actually the fifth-tier category below Formula Regional.
This is all ignoring the Road to Indy, where there are open-wheel cars going from the second down to the fifth tier and all designed to prepare drivers for IndyCar. The third and fourth tiers there aren’t really comparable to Europe’s.
The F3-level third tier currently consists of the FIA F3 Championship and Euroformula (with Japan’s Super Formula Lights series using the same cars) for contemporary machinery, then there are some series still using the last generation of F3 cars.
FRegional, and championships using FRegional-based cars, fill the fourth tier. The category is incorporated into the name of all the FIA-certified championships except for the planned AU3.
Launched as FRegional Australia but rebranded before getting underway, it cancelled its pre-season test and inaugural race event at late notice this May due to an issue with shipping cars from New Zealand. It also left it very late to cancel what would have been round two in June. Last month it should have raced at Sandown, but instead the 2025 season was called off.
The other FRegional-spec series without the name is Ultimate Cup Series’ Formula Cup, which uses the Tatuus T-318.
That car has been the design inspiration or basis of several other chassis from the Italian manufacturer, including the F3-T318 used in Eurocup-3, FRegional Oceania’s FT-60 and for the more bespoke MSV GB3-025 raced in GB3 to ensure it remains on par with European rivals.
Photo: Fotocar13
GB3 had previously used a heavily upgraded Tatuus design that sat between FRegional and F4 in performance, and which was upgraded again to be reused this year in the formerly F4-spec GB4. In 2026, Britain has a de facto fourth-tier single-seater championship in GB3, one that sits just below in GB4, and then the truly fifth-tier British F4.
There will be lots of car changes in FRegional next year, as both Tatuus and Ligier introduce second-generation chassis.
Eurocup-3 will not be adopting the new Tatuus T-326, since it will instead be adopting a whole new technical ruleset.
Last week it announced it will be becoming a third-tier series from 2026 onwards, and will do so by switching to the ‘new’ Dallara 326 car with power supply from TOM’S-developed 1.6-litre turbocharged Toyota units.
The ‘326’ designation belongs to a bodykit in development for the six-year-old F3-level Dallara 320 car, and which will be remarkably close in specification to the ‘324’ bodykit introduced to SF Lights last year and in Euroformula this season.
Both of those championships also exclusively run the TOM’S engines, and Eurocup-3 has hired Engiser 101 to be its tuning partner for when it introduces them. The electronics will be the same, and the similarities extend to the GT Sport-run Euroformula and Eurocup-3 both being run by Spanish promoters.
On technical aspects, the main difference next year may well be tyres. Euroformula runs on Pirellis, Eurocup-3 will use a new compound from Hankook, and SF Lights is yet to name a supplier for after its current two-year deal with Kumho.
Since its launch in 2023, Eurocup-3 has done well to establish itself against the immensely popular FRegional European Championship with teams and drivers. Now it has its sights set on Euroformula, and arguably FIA F3 too, and what has been announced already about their 2026 seasons supports that.
2026 calendars
| Round | Euroformula | Eurocup-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-season test | Barcelona (Mar 20/21) | |
| 1 | Algarve (Apr 17-19) | Spa-Francorchamps (Apr TBC) |
| 2 | Spa-Francorchamps (May 15-17) | Paul Ricard (May 1-3) |
| 3 | Misano (Jun 5-7) | Red Bull Ring (May 16-18) |
| 4 | Hungaroring (Jul 3-5) | Algarve (Jun 5-7) |
| 5 | Paul Ricard (Jul 17-19) | Imola (Jul 3-5) |
| 6 | Hockenheim (Sep 11-13) | Madrid (Aug TBC) |
| 7 | Monza (Sep 25-27) | Silverstone (Sep 11-13) |
| 8 | Barcelona (Oct 16-18) | Barcelona (Nov 6-8) |
FIA F3 will support F1 for all 10 of its rounds next year, with street races in Melbourne, Monaco and Madrid’s new circuit.
The eight-round Eurocup-3 schedule will feature five of next year’s F1 tracks, including the planned ‘Madring’. Its race weekend there will take place in August, several weeks before F1 visits and will possibly make it the first ever championship to race on it. It will also visit Silverstone, which European series rarely visit due to having to ship cars to Britain.
Euroformula and the Formula Renault Eurocup (which used FRegional cars for its last two seasons in 2019 and ’20 before its assets were inherited by the FREC paddock) last raced there in 2019, and the all-female W Series only headed there in 2021 and ’22 due to being an F1 support and all of its entries being operated by a British team.
There are four F1 tracks on Euroformula’s 2026 calendar, since it has dropped the Red Bull Ring for a first ever trip to Misano.
In addition to a calendar, Eurocup-3 has announced it will have at least nine teams on the grid next year. Its four Spanish squads (Campos Racing, Drivex School, Global Racing Service and Palou Motorsport) will continue, along with Dutch outfit MP Motorsport, and stepping up from the Spanish F4 championship under the same promoter will be two more Spanish operations: Tecnicar Motorsport and the TC Racing team founded by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with the assistance of ex-F1 driver Roberto Merhi.
Total newcomers to the paddock will be British teams Double R Racing and Hitech GP, and Eurocup-3 aims to complete its grid with a 10th team.
Double R raced in Euroformula from 2019 to ’21, running future F1 and IndyCar drivers, and through its sister company Fine Moments ran all of W Series’ cars. Its last race outings were the final two rounds of the 2023 British F4 season, and it has been a test-only team since then.
Photo: Dutch Photo Agency
Euroformula will continue with Dallara’s ‘324’ bodykit next season, and has shared pictures from the manufacturer as it produces six more of them to be ready for use later in 2025.
A new name in the GT Sport paddock, starting with next month’s round at the Red Bull Ring, is Roland Rehfeld. The long-time team manager and then sporting director of PHM Racing retained that role for its F2 and FIA F3 squads when they were purchased by AIX Investment Group last year and rebranded, but as of this week he is no longer working for the team and has moved into a team management position at Euroformula dominator Motopark.
The FIA has confirmed to Formula Scout that FREC will switch to Toyota engines next year that will be built by Autotecnica since a deal with Alpine – that included branding of the championship and its Renault engines – ends this season. Tatuus’s second-generation T-326 chassis is set to succeed the T-318 after seven seasons of use, and two following the introduction of an update kit to reduce the physical effort required to steer the car.
ACI Sport will continue to promote FREC, and the FIA will support the Italian motorsport federation by providing technical expertise and staff (such as stewards and technical delegates) while helping revise its sporting and technical regulations.