Successful start to the Austria Formula Cup season
14 April 2026
Last weekend (10–12 April 2026), the Austria Formula Cup successfully kicked off the new 2026 season at the Red Bull Ring. Twenty-six drivers took part in the first two championship races on the 4.326-kilometre circuit in Styria. Series organiser Franz Wöss has once again managed to put together a formidable championship.
The Austrian has been at the helm of the series since 1992 and, even in difficult times, has consistently managed to attract impressive entry numbers, making him a fixture in European formula racing for many years. The current format of the Austria Formula Cup is deliberately open, allowing other formula cars alongside Formula 3. At the Red Bull Ring, this included Formula Regional and Formula Renault. This technical diversity allows teams and drivers to continue using existing equipment whilst ensuring a wide range of performance levels across the field.
After the first two races, Sandro Zeller secured the championship lead. In qualifying, the Jo Zeller Racing driver set the fastest time for Race 1. And as the Swiss driver also recorded the second-fastest time in qualifying, he started from pole position in Race 2 as well. He made perfect use of both pole positions in his Dallara F312 Mercedes, winning both races. He thus leads the championship with 50 points. Behind the Swiss driver is the Italian Andrea Benalli (Puresport) in the Dallara F314 Mercedes with two second-place finishes and 36 points. Third place goes to Kurt Böhlen (Jo Zeller Racing) with 24 points following his two fourth-place finishes.
The best Austrian driver was Michael Fischer in the Dallara F315 Mercedes with 15 points. In Race 1, the Red Rose Racing by LRT driver finished on the podium in P3, but suffered a retirement right at the start of Race 2. From a German perspective, Nicolas Löffler (ADAC Südbayern) finished in the overall top 10 on two occasions. In Race 1, he finished ninth in his Dallara F312 Mercedes. In Race 2, he came eighth. He currently sits in 10th place in the championship. In his AF3-T class, he finished behind Hannes Neuhauser in Race 1. In Race 2, he won the class. In the Tatuus FR2.0 Renault class, Sarene Ziffel won the class on both occasions. Norbert Lenzenweger won both Formula Regional races at the Red Bull Ring.
The next round is just under eleven days away. The series will then head to Imola.
