The FIA Formula Regional European Championship (formerly known as the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), or simply FR Europe) is a regional European Formula 3 racing series regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship began in 2019 and is organized by the Italian autosport regulator Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI) and karting promoter WSK. Their bid was chosen over Renault Sport's bid with the same chassis, who attracted fewer votes from Single-Seater Commission members. Following the 2020 season, the Formula Renault Eurocup merged with the Formula Regional European Championship to become the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. The series received full FIA status in 2026 and was again rebranded to FREC as Alpine left as engine supplier and sponsor to focus on their Formula One team.

The championship's first season featured eight rounds on the circuits across Europe with half of them in Italy. Like other Formula Regional championships, it serves as a development series as part of the FIA Global Pathway, and is primarily contested by young drivers seeking a professional racing career. The driver champions receive FIA Super License points. The series is intended to be a stepping stone between Formula 4 and the international FIA Formula 3 Championship. Franco Colapinto was the first driver from the series to make it to Formula One, driving for Williams Racing for the latter part of the season. 2025 featured the next three graduates in the name of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar, driving for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team respectively starting from the 2025 season. Many FREC drivers have subsequently competed in the feeder series directly below F1, the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

Car The championship features Tatuus-designed and built cars. The cars will be constructed out of carbon fibre and feature a monocoque chassis which feature a number of enhanced safety features including the new Halo device and improved side impact protection, and will have a six-speed paddle-shift sequential gearbox. In the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the car was powered by an Alfa Romeo 270PS (200 kW) turbo engine tuned by Autotecnica. After the merge with Formula Renault Eurocup for the 2021 season the championship uses Renault engines. From 2022, the cars feature a push-to-pass system. When pressed, the engine temporarily produces extra power for a period of 15 seconds. Push-to-pass can be used five times during a race. Unlike DRS in Formula One, the push-to-pass system can be used at any time during a race.

Costs

One 2024 estimate puts the cost of competing in a front-running car at around per season. The minimum for "back-marker" cars was around . These costs are typically met by either the competitors' families or personal sponsors.

Media

Races are livestreamed and are available on YouTube at no cost.

Champions

Drivers' SeasonDriverTeamPolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPoints% points achievableClinchedMargin 2019 Frederik Vesti Prema Powerteam101320946777.833Race 21 of 24131 2020 Gianluca Petecof Prema Powerteam5414735962.435Race 24 of 24162021 Grégoire Saucy ART Grand Prix7810227755.400Race 17 of 2068 2022 Dino Beganovic Prema Racing4414230060.000Race 19 of 2026 2023 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Prema Racing3511530060.000Race 18 of 2039 2024 Rafael Câmara Prema Racing7712730961.800Race 18 of 2073 2025 Freddie Slater Prema Racing6812731362.600Race 19 of 2035

Teams' SeasonTeamPolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPointsClinchedMargin 2019 Prema Powerteam13164014870Race 23 of 24390 2020 Prema Powerteam18164312842Race 22 of 243472021 R-ace GP35216481Race 20 of 20592022 Prema Racing1110216531Race 18 of 201102023 Prema Racing77186512Race 20 of 202 2024 Prema Racing1312259575Race 17 of 20264 2025 R-ace GP55166455Race 20 of 2025

Rookie SeasonDriverTeamPolesWins (rookie)PodiumsFastest lapsPoints (rookie)ClinchedMargin 2019 Frederik Vesti Prema Powerteam1013 (14)209467 (506)Race 21 of 24125 2020 Gianluca Petecof Prema Powerteam54 (7)147359 (430)Race 24 of 24432021 Isack Hadjar R-ace GP12 (8)53166Race 20 of 20442022 Leonardo Fornaroli Trident000083Race 20 of 2042023 Martinius Stenshorne R-ace GP35 (13)113261Race 18 of 201502024 Noah Strømsted RPM10 (7)43121Race 20 of 2024 2025 Dion Gowda Van Amersfoort Racing00 (14)0038Race 19 of 2036

Drivers graduated to FIA Formula 2 Championship DriverFormula Regional EuropeanFIA Formula 2Other major titles before FRECSeasonsRacesWinsPodiumsSeasonsFirst teamRacesWinsPodiums Kimi Antonelli2023205112024Prema Racing2623Italian F4 ChampionshipADAC F4 Championship Paul Aron2021–2022408152023–2024Trident3018 Dino Beganovic2021–2022404132024–2026DAMS32*1*5* Brad Benavides202110002023PHM Racing by Charouz1800 John Bennett20242002024–2026Van Amersfoort Racing34*0*0* Roman Bilinski2022–202452022026DAMS Lucas Oil2*0*0* Gabriel Bortoleto2021–202240262024Invicta Racing2828 Mari Boya2021–202240022026Prema Racing2*0*0* Olli Caldwell201924172021–2022Campos Racing2600 Rafael Câmara2023–2024408162026Invicta Racing000 Franco Colapinto202116242023–2024MP Motorsport2213F4 Spanish Championship Joshua Dürksen2022–202340012024–2026PHM AIX Racing56*4*12* Emerson Fittipaldi Jr.202320002026AIX Racing2*0*0* Enzo Fittipaldi2019242132021–2024Charouz Racing System67213Italian F4 Championship Leonardo Fornaroli202220002024–2025Rodin Motorsport26*4*8* Oliver Goethe2022–202420002026MP Motorsport38*0*0* Isack Hadjar202120242023–2024Hitech Grand Prix5449 Dennis Hauger20208162022–2024Prema Racing78513Italian F4 Championship Jake Hughes20193032020–2022BWT HWA Racelab2600BRDC F4 Championship Niko Kari20193002018MP Motorsport400SMP F4 Championship Niels Koolen202318002024AIX Racing400 Arthur Leclerc2020236152023DAMS2601 Noel León2022242132026Campos Racing2*0*0*NACAM Formula 4 Championship Sami Meguetounif2021–202341042025Trident2200 Gabriele Minì2021–2022403132024–2026Prema Racing30*0*4*Italian F4 Championship Sebastián Montoya202220002025–2026Prema Racing28*0*3* Matteo Nannini2019–202018002021HWA Racelab800F4 UAE Championship Gianluca Petecof2020234142021Campos Racing600 Martinius Stenshorne2023205112025–2026Trident6*0*0* Dan Ticktum20196022018, 2020–2021BWT Arden50311 Laurens van Hoepen2022–202340022026Campos Racing8*0*1* Frederik Vesti20192413202022–2023ART Grand Prix53715 Jüri Vips20209032020–2022DAMS59312ADAC F4 Championship James Wharton2024204102025Trident200F4 UAE Championship Lirim Zendeli20193022021–2022MP Motorsport1900ADAC F4 Championship * Season still in progress.

Notes:

Gold background denotes Formula Regional European champion. Bold denotes a driver graduated to Formula One.

Circuits Bold denotes a circuit will be used in the 2026 season.

NumberCircuitsRoundsYears1 Circuit Paul Ricard72019–present Red Bull Ring72019–present Imola Circuit72019–present Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya72019–2025 Monza Circuit72019–present 6 Mugello Circuit62019–20247 Hungaroring52019, 2022–present Circuit Zandvoort52021–present Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps52021–present 10 Hockenheimring32023–present11 Vallelunga Circuit22019–2020 Misano World Circuit22020, 2025 Circuit de Monaco22021–2022 14 Circuit Ricardo Tormo12021

References

External links