December Testing Roundup in Motorsport: Insights from Various Series
As the motorsport season nears its conclusion, the first week of December was bustling with testing sessions across multiple racing series. From Formula 2 to F4, these events took place not only in Europe but also in regions like South America and Japan. This article delves into the details of these testing sessions, shedding light on who participated, the teams involved, and the performances recorded.
Testing in Barcelona: Formula 2, Formula 3, GB3, and More
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya served as the backdrop for an extensive three-day testing event from December 1 to 3. This session featured a diverse lineup of cars, ranging from Formula 2 down to F4.
Formula 2 Insights
The collaboration between Campos and Speed Center saw the testing of several F2-spec vehicles. While the specific drivers behind the wheel of these cars remained undisclosed, the testing was critical for teams preparing for the upcoming season.
Formula 3 Developments
The Formula 3 cars were particularly prominent during this testing phase. Several teams utilized this opportunity to familiarize their 2026 driver lineups with the machinery. Campos Racing had Ugo Ugochukwu behind the wheel, while DAMS featured Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi and his expected teammate Nicola Lacorte. Hitech Racing brought Michael Shin and Jin Nakamura into the mix, and Prema Racing had Enzo Deligny and James Wharton, who recently made an appearance in Formula 2 at Qatar.
Fionn McLaughlin, a new signing for Hitech in 2026, was also present at the circuit, although the team he tested with has not yet been confirmed. The identity of the driver testing Porteiro’s #101 car remains a mystery as well.
GB3 and GB4 Sessions
Multiple GB3 teams took advantage of the Barcelona facility for testing. Elite Racing featured Edu Robinson across all three days and rotated car #03 between Flynn Jackes and Fred Green. Hillspeed tested Dante Vinci and Kyuho Lee, while Hitech also participated in the last two days with drivers Noah Lisle, Yuhao Fu, and Deagen Fairclough. Rodin Motorsport had Martin Molnár, Maxim Rehm, and Abbi Pulling take to the track during the same period.
In GB4, testing was primarily concentrated in the initial two days, with Fred Green appearing in one of Elite’s cars. Matan Achituv and Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso were involved throughout the three-day session.
Formula 4 Highlights
The first two days saw a significant amount of Formula 4 activity. AKM Racing fielded Ginevra Panzeri, the young Williams junior Dean Hoogendoorn, and others. Monlau also participated with several undisclosed drivers, while Van Amersfoort Racing tested Thomas Bearman and Aleksander Ruta, alongside an unidentified driver.
SG Motors stood out as the only team to run F4 cars for all three days, featuring Juste Mulder and Ferrari junior Filippo Sala.
The overall testing times for the various categories showcased the competitive spirit and development focus of the teams involved.
Testing at Le Castellet: F3, Euroformula Open, and F4
From December 2 to 3, Le Castellet hosted another round of testing, organized by Motopark. This session saw participation from multiple teams across different categories.
Formula 3 Testing
MP Motorsport utilized this opportunity to test their F3 cars with two drivers whose identities remain undisclosed. Meanwhile, other teams like BVM and Double R began their preparations for the forthcoming Euroformula Open season. BVM’s lineup included Javier Herrera and Miguel Costa, while Double R featured three drivers, one of whom may have been Bart Harrison.
Motopark’s lineup included Jan Koller, Diego de la Torre, and Wiktor Dobrzański, with the remaining drivers likely being Lorenzo Castillo, Everett Stack, and Enzo Yeh based on previous testing insights.
Eurocup-3 and F4 Activities
The only Eurocup-3 team testing at Le Castellet was Palou, which had Alceu Feldmann Neto driving. In the F4 category, teams like ART, Prema, R-ace GP, and Trident were present. ART fielded drivers Matteo Giaccardi, Kabir Anurag, and Alexandre Munoz. Prema entered Kean Nakamura-Berta and Salim Hanna, while R-ace lined up Rashid Al Dhaheri, Yuki Sano, and Emanuele Olivieri. Trident tested their confirmed 2026 lineup featuring Luka Sammalisto, Maximilian Popov, and Andrija Kostić.
Feed Racing had a strong presence in the F4 category with a diverse driver lineup, while Italian F4 race winner Alex Powell and British F4 signing Alfie Slater were also rumored to be testing, though their teams remain unconfirmed.
Eurocup-3 and F4 at Portimão
As teams geared up for the Spanish Winter Championship, several Eurocup-3 and F4 teams gathered at the Autódromo do Algarve in Portimão for a two-day test on December 4 and 5.
Eurocup-3 Testing Details
Campos and Drivex combined to field three Eurocup-3 cars, but the identities of the drivers remained unknown. The focus was on gathering data and refining performance ahead of the competitive season.
F4 Insights from Portimão
In the F4 sessions, Campos fielded four cars, with Luna Fluxá, Jacob Micallef, and Daniel Kelleher confirmed as drivers. Drivex had Nathan Tye, Simón Bulbarella, and one additional driver in their lineup. They also tested three drivers in their sister team DXR’s cars.
Other teams present included Monlau with Miki Blascos and Rahim Alibhai, MP with a lineup of Borys Łyżeń, Rocco Coronel, Kasper Schormans, and Louis Cochet, and Rodin featuring Dries Van Langendonck, Alfie Slater, Ethan Lennon, and Ella Stevens. TC Racing and Tecnicar rounded out the testing with their own driver rosters.
Additional Testing Activities Worldwide
While the key testing events in Europe captured significant attention, smaller tests were happening globally. In Brazil, Franco Paolini conducted F4 testing at the Velocitta circuit on December 1. Meanwhile, in Japan, Super Formula Lights held a session at Motegi, featuring drivers Keito Matsui and Itsuki Sato from Delightworks, along with Juju Noda from Triple Tree.
On December 3, Sota Muto joined Abbey Racing for FRegional Japan testing at Suzuka. Concurrently, Evan Giltaire experienced his first session in Super Formula Lights at Sugo, likely with B-Max Racing Team.
In the UK, GB4 cars were active at Donington Park on December 4, with various teams fielding their drivers, including Fox, Fortec, and KMR Sport.
These testing sessions across different locations demonstrated the global nature of motorsport, where teams and drivers continually seek to improve and prepare for the challenges of the upcoming seasons.
In conclusion, the first week of December was marked by a flurry of testing activity across numerous racing series. Teams utilized this time to refine their setups, familiarize drivers with new machinery, and gather crucial data ahead of competitive events. As the motorsport landscape continues to evolve, these testing sessions play a vital role in shaping the future of racing.
