The 2026 British F4 season got underway at Donington Park with a competitive opening round featuring a 30-car grid and intense battles throughout the field, marking a strong start to the new campaign.
McLaren junior Dries Van Langendonck (Rodin Motorsport) emerged as the early championship leader after a strong qualifying performance and a Race 1 victory, holding off late pressure from Ethan Jeff-Hall (Hitech). The Belgian continued to show consistency across the weekend, staying firmly in the fight at the front in every race.
Race 2 saw Ethan Lennon (Fortec Motorsport) take a well-managed victory after a strong opening phase, while Race 3 was decided in the closing stages with Joseph Smith (Virtuosi Racing) securing his first win of the season after a decisive late-race move.
With close racing across all three contests and multiple drivers in contention at the front, Donington delivered a clear first picture of a tightly matched field heading into the rest of the season.
Top 3 standings after Donington:
Dries Van Langendonck (Rodin Motorsport) – 52 pts
Joseph Smith (Virtuosi Racing) – 37 pts
Ethan Jeff-Hall (Hitech) – 37 pts
USF Juniors
In the United States, USF Juniors delivered another highly eventful weekend at Carolina Motorsports Park, featuring several safety car periods, first-lap contact situations, and close battles throughout the field.
Iván Machado Pérez (VRD Racing by Pole Position) was the standout performer, recovering from a difficult Race 1 after contact at Turn 1 to fight back through the order. He then dominated Race 2 from the front and secured a controlled Race 3 victory after a late safety car restart, holding off Max Mokarem (Exclusive Autosport) in a close final-lap battle.
These results allowed the Spaniard to take the championship lead by just one point, underlining how closely matched the field remains.
Top 3 standings after Carolina:
Iván Machado Pérez (VRD Racing by Pole Position) – 133 pts
Max Mokarem (Exclusive Autosport) – 132 pts
Vilho Aatola (VRD Racing by Pole Position) – 114 pts
With both championships now underway, Donington and Carolina have already delivered a clear picture of 2026: close racing, emerging contenders, and early title battles forming on both sides of the Atlantic.
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