Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography
McLaren junior Dries Van Langendonck has claimed a double pole position to start the 2026 British Formula 4 season at Donington Park.
The Formula Winter Series champion ended qualifying 0.259 seconds ahead of Theo Palmer to secure pole for the final race of the weekend, while his second-fastest lap time was enough to also ensure he will start the first race of the season from the front of the grid.
Van Langendonck set the pace early in the session, but provisional pole position changed hands multiple times as lap times improved. Alfie Slater, Ella Lloyd and Palmer were among those to briefly sit on the top spot before Van Langendonck retook the position.
Midway through the session, it was the Rodin driver at the top of the order ahead of Mercedes protege Ethan Jeff-Hall, who was just 0.045s behind. Palmer sat third with Red Bull junior Scott Kin Lindblom in fourth.
When drivers returned to the track after the mid-session lull, Van Langendonck immediately improved to extend his gap to Jeff-Hall. As Van Langendonck continued to improve, Jarrett Clark and Palmer slotted into the gap.
Van Langendonck improved late on to become the only driver to go quicker than 1m05s around the Donington Park national circuit. Palmer remained second for Hitech with Virtuosi Racing’s Clark third. However, on second fastest times, it was Clark who placed second ahead of Jeff-Hall, with Palmer down in fourth.
Argenti’s Jeff-Hall held onto fourth ahead of two more Virtuosi drivers, Joseph Smith and George Proudford-Nalder.
Cash Felber placed seventh overall while twin brother Roman took 16th, ahead of Lloyd who faded after her strong start to the session. Kin Lindblom, Lewis Wherrell and Haarni Sadiq completed the top 10.
Qualifying roundup
Race 1 grid – second fastest times
1 Dries Van Langendonck Rodin Motorsport 1m05.035s
2 Jarrett Clark Virtuosi Racing +0.202s
3 Ethan Jeff-Hall Argenti Motorsport +0.301s
4 Theo Palmer Hitech GP +0.393s
5 Scott Kin Lindholm Hitech GP +0.422s
6 Cash Felber Fortec Motorsports +0.461s
7 George Proudford-Nalder Virtuosi Racing +0.465s
8 Joseph Smith Virtuosi Racing +0.496s
9 Ethan Lennon Rodin Motorsport +0.524s
10 Ethan Carney Fotec Motorsports +0.559s
Race 3 grid – fastest times
1 Van Langendonck 1m04.865s
2 Palmer +0.259s
3 Clark +0.294s
4 Jeff-Hall +0.447s
5 Smith +0.490s
6 Proudford-Nalder +0.494s
7 C Felber +0.544s
8 Kin Lindblom +0.592s
9 Lewis Wherrell JHR Developments +0.664s
10 Haarni Sadiq JHR Developments +0.668s