Fischer dominates at Grobnik: One-two for the championship leader

Last weekend, from 15 to 17 May 2026, the Austria Formula Cup visited the Autodrom Grobnik in Croatia, near the port city of Rijeka. The third round of the season offered the large crowd at the track everything that makes formula racing great: difficult weather conditions, intense battles, technical drama and dominant performances at the front.

 

The very first race on Saturday presented drivers and teams with enormous challenges. Conditions were wet and extremely slippery, yet without standing water on the track – precisely the mix of conditions considered particularly difficult in motorsport. The slow formation lap and the lack of grip on the track underscored these challenging racing conditions. All cars got away well at the start. Michael Fischer was initially unable to make the most of his pole position and fell back behind Nicolas Löffler, who took the lead after the first lap. Despite the difficult conditions, the early stages went smoothly and without collisions. As the race progressed, light rain began to fall again on parts of the track, making conditions even more unpredictable. However, Fischer fought his way back to the front and, together with Löffler and André Petropoulos, pulled away from the field early on. Petropoulos in car number 22 caused a moment of panic. After skidding over the kerbs, he lost control of his car on the slippery track and spun out. The rear wing was subsequently damaged, yet the German continued the race and showed impressive fighting spirit. Despite the damage, he even set the fastest sector time at one point. As the race progressed, an intense battle for third place developed between Petropoulos and Lee Cunningham, which Petropoulos eventually won. A few minutes before the end of the race came the highlight: a tough but fair duel between Petropoulos and Löffler for second place. With a determined manoeuvre, Petropoulos prevailed and took second position. However, with four laps to go, the race ended prematurely. Lee Cunningham rolled to a halt due to a technical fault and came to a standstill on the track. Race control subsequently decided to bring the race to a halt with a red flag. The final result of the first race was therefore Michael Fischer ahead of André Petropoulos and Nicolas Löffler.

 

On Sunday, Grobnik then showed itself at its best. Bright sunshine and dry conditions provided perfect conditions for the sixth race of the season. However, Lee Cunningham was unable to start after his technical fault the previous day. Michael Fischer once again got off to a perfect start and immediately took the lead. For Nicolas Löffler, however, the race went as badly as could be imagined: the German initially failed to move at all at the start; although he managed to get the car moving, he spun shortly afterwards and was ultimately forced to retire from the race. His car came to a halt at the side of the track, leaving just eight cars in the race. The rest of the race proceeded calmly and without incident. At the front, Fischer controlled the proceedings with authority and, after a flawless performance, celebrated his second victory of the weekend. André Petropoulos once again confirmed his strong form with second place, whilst Karl-Heinz Matzinger took third. Michael Fischer thus secured both victories at the Austria Formula Cup’s Croatian round in Grobnik and further extended his lead in the championship.

 

Following rounds five and six of the season, the championship standings are as follows:

1. Michael Fischer (AUT) – Red Rose Racing – 92 points

2. Sandro Zeller (SUI) – Jo Zeller Racing – 75 points

3. Andrea Benalli (ITA) – Puresport – 74 points

4. André Petropoulos (GER) – Team Hoffmann Racing – 44 points

5. Marco Falci (ITA) – Nannini Racing – 27 points

 

In addition to the thrilling races, the event was a resounding success from an organisational standpoint. Despite changeable weather conditions on the first two days, numerous spectators provided a fantastic atmosphere. The livestream also allowed motorsport fans at home to enjoy an immersive racing experience. A particular highlight was the podium ceremony on the main stage, complete with national anthems for the respective class winners. Following an extremely successful race weekend overall, attention is now already turning to the next round of the season. From 3 to 5 July 2026, the Austria Formula Cup will be visiting the Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi in Italy, where rounds seven and eight of the season are scheduled as part of round four.