The Circuit Ricardo Tormo hosted the opening round of the eleventh season of the F4 Spanish Championship, launching the 2026 campaign with an intense and eventful weekend marked by on-track battles, penalties and three races that produced two standout winners.
A strong start and early controversy
The season got underway with Qualifying 1, where Vivek Kanthan secured the first pole position of the year, setting the benchmark at the start of the new campaign.
In Race 1, Kanthan initially crossed the line in first place after a dominant performance, but a post-race penalty handed the victory to Rocco Coronel, reshuffling the final classification and adding early drama to the championship fight.
Coronel capitalises
The action continued with Race 2, where Rocco Coronel made an immediate impact at the start, gaining track position off the line to move into the lead. From there, he managed the race with confidence, controlling the pace at the front and keeping his rivals at bay throughout the race.
The race was also marked by a major incident on the opening lap, when Piñera and Kanthan collided at Turn 4, triggering a spin for the latter and leaving him exposed in the middle of the track. The situation escalated as Petrović and Riccobono were also involved in the high-impact sequence, significantly reshaping the order early on.
Behind the leader, the fight for the podium featured Piñera and Noah Monteiro, both delivering strong performances to secure second and third place respectively. The pair showed consistency and racecraft to stay in contention and complete the podium, adding valuable early points in the championship.
Kanthan responds on Sunday
Sunday began with Qualifying 2, where Kanthan bounced back to form by taking pole position once again, reaffirming his speed over one lap.
In the final race of the weekend, Race 3, Kanthan made a strong start and this time converted his pace into victory, but not without pressure. Lyzen and Noah Monteiro were both in the fight behind, battling for podium positions and keeping the leader within reach during key phases of the race. Despite their efforts, Kanthan managed the gap effectively to secure his first official win of the season.
With the final results confirmed, Coronel emerged as the most successful driver of the weekend with two wins and leaves Valencia as the early championship leader, while Kanthan added the remaining victory after showing strong pace throughout the event.
The Valencia round delivered a highly competitive and unpredictable opening to the 2026 season, with penalties influencing results and several drivers showing strong early pace. You can check the full standings on the official website
The F4 Spanish Championship will continue its season at Portimão on 5–7 June, building on a campaign that has already begun with excitement and intensity.
