Jan Przyrowski has arrived in Abu Dhabi, where he and the RPM team are preparing for the start of the 2026 Formula Regional Middle East Trophy (FRMET) season. The ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé has already completed the first tests of the new Tatuus T-326 car, which will compete in the FIA Formula Regional categories. Drivers and teams face a major challenge: understanding the new design and discovering its full potential at the Yas Marina track this coming weekend, 16th-18th January.
Valuable experience in test sessions
The 17-year-old driver from Rossoszyca has completed the first two days of testing, which included a total of eight sessions. Each session lasted 55 minutes, and then, during a break from driving, each Formula Regional Middle East Trophy driver worked with their engineers and mechanics. Jan Przyrowski and his competitors spent most of their time collecting data. All runs focused on aero tests, examining the aerodynamics of the Tatuus T-326 and ensuring everything was in order with the materials used. No one had yet focused on working on qualifying and race pace. However, Tuesday and Wednesday, January 13th and 14th, were crucial for further performance development of the new car. The information gathered, as well as the driver’s feedback and feedback, will be crucial to ensuring the car is ready for the weekend on Friday, January 16th.
Jan Przyrowski completed a total of 111 laps over two days. In the sixth of eight sessions, he achieved third place. The Polish driver was following the engineer’s instructions and already pointing in the right directions to gain more time. The ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé made no secret of his excitement about the upcoming season opener and his return to racing. He had already had the opportunity to experience what an F1 driver experiences every year, when they have to get to know a completely new car. This experience could significantly help not only now but also in the future.
Jan Przyrowski on preparations and expectations before the start of the season
“The two days of testing in Abu Dhabi have concluded. They were very enjoyable, but also challenging. There were a lot of new things to test; it was my first time in the Tatuus T-326. The Pirelli tires are also new and unlike the ones I experienced during my debut weekend in the Regional Formula in Monza. So there were a lot of new things, aero tests, and data collection. There wasn’t much fast driving or testing of qualifying and race pace – that’s still ahead of us!” said Jan Przyrowski, RPM driver.
“I’m glad we’ve gathered a lot of information and know there’s a lot of potential to be discovered. Our task will be to find it as quickly as possible. I think we’ll be doing well from the first qualifying rounds and races. I’m expecting a very interesting battle and hoping for a very good start to the 2026 season. Of course, I invite you to follow the competition. The broadcast will be available on YouTube, and I’ll keep you updated on my social media. Thank you for your support to ORLEN and the ORLEN Motorsport Academy, Geothermal Solutions, Repiński Transport, the Łódź Special Economic Zone, Samarite, Enexa, Elektro-miz, and Ansite,” concluded the 17-year-old driver from Rossoszyca.
The field in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy is very large. Eleven teams are participating in the series, most of which have established names in motorsport. Ten of them will field three drivers each, while only one has opted for two. In total, including Jan Przyrowski, 32 drivers will compete. This is a significant difference compared to the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy series, which runs concurrently in New Zealand, as there are only 19 drivers on the grid.
The Spanish Formula 4 runner-up will compete against top drivers from junior series such as the GB3 Championship and Italian Formula 4. The Pole will face, among others, Alex Ninovic and Kean Nakamura-Berta (Williams junior), who won the championships in those championships last year. Also worth mentioning are drivers such as Gerrard Xie, Christian Ho, and Taito Kato, who have experience in the higher category – FIA F3.
Przyrowski will be the first Polish driver to compete in a Regional Formula in the Middle East. Previously, when the series was called the Formula Regional Middle East Championship (FRMEC), we didn’t have a representative there.
Below is the schedule for the weekend (16th-18th January) at the Yas Marina circuit.
FRMET Abu Dhabi Round 1 Schedule
Friday, 16th January:
9:25 AM – 10:25 AM – First Test Session
1:35 PM – 2:35 PM – Second Test Session
Saturday, 17th January:
7:45 AM – 8:45 AM – Practice Session
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM – Qualifying 1
11:20 AM – 11:35 AM – Qualifying 2
2:50 PM – RACE 1 (28 minutes + 1 lap)
Sunday, 18th January:
9:30 AM – RACE 2 (28 minutes + 1 lap) – Reverse Grid (reverse order for the Top 12)
12:25 PM – RACE 3 (28 minutes + 1 lap)
*all times (CET)
The qualifying and races will be streamed free of charge on the official FR Middle East Trophy Certified by FIA YouTube channel. All important information will be shared on Jan Przyrowski’s social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, and X).
