2026 kicked off with a busy January at Pole as Formula E raced in Mexico City and Miami, while 24H SERIES MIDDLE EAST and Asian Le Mans Series both hosted rounds in the Middle East.
It was straight back into it following the Christmas break, with the first working weekend of the year seeing events taking place in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi.
Nissan Formula E Team’s Oliver Rowland continued his strong start to the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship by securing another podium finish at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The reigning Formula E Drivers’ World Champion expertly managed the E-Prix, moving his way up five positions to cross the line in third, earning his second top three finish in the opening two rounds.
Meanwhile at Yas Marina Circuit, Hong-Kong racer Antares Au, alongside Loek Hartog and Huub van Eijndhoven, clinched a stunning win for Herberth Motorsport in the Michelin 6H ABU DHABI. Hartog stormed into the lead from fourth in the opening corners and from there the trio controlled the race to wrap up a dominant victory.
The following weekend Au and Hartog were joined by Ralf Bohn and Joel Sturm in the #10 Porsche 911 GT3 R and piloted it to Pro-Am victory in the gruelling Michelin 24H DUBAI.
The event also saw Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver Enzo Trulli make his 24-hour enduro debut with EBM, being joined by 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Masters champion Adrian D’Silva as well as Porsche Drivers Dorian Boccolacci and Alessandro Ghiretti.
After a rare weekend off, it was all systems go again as Formula E completed its tour of the Americas to open the 2025/26 campaign, with its final stop being a maiden visit to Miami International Autodrome.
Friday saw the squad’s rookie and simulator driver Abbi Pulling and Formula 2 racer Gabriele Minì take to the circuit in Rookie Free Practice. The pair collected valuable data throughout the productive 40-minute session as Minì set the third fastest time, while Pulling ended the session 11th after finding traffic on her laps in 350 kW mode.
Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato hit the track later that day and on Saturday had a difficult E-Prix in tricky conditions. Nato was able to advance into the Duels, setting the fastest time in his group, but both drivers struggled in the wet, with neither managing to break into the top 10.
Elsewhere at Dubai Autodrome, Manthey wrapped up an Asian Le Mans Series podium in Round 3 as Antares Au, Klaus Bachler and Loek Hartog gained nine places to finish second in an action-packed four-hour enduro.
February sees the 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series season conclude with the second event from Dubai, before a finale at Yas Marina Circuit. Following this a blockbuster weekend of action awaits, featuring a Formula E double-header in Jeddah as well as the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour from New South Wales. Porsche Carrera Cup Asia also kicks off its 2026 campaign with Official Test Days at Zhuhai International Circuit.
Photo credit: Xynamic