Jan Przyrowski finished on the podium at the Dubai Autodrome. The ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé competed in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy for the third consecutive weekend. After two weeks, the competition moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, where the Polish driver and the RPM team battled with the very top drivers. The 17-year-old scored points in all three races (10th, 3rd, and 4th).
Promising pace from the start of the race weekend
During the first test session on Thursday, our compatriot was already seventh, a small gap to the leaders. Jan Przyrowski and the Race Performance Motorsport team learned from the two rounds in Abu Dhabi, which helped them take another step forward. The next sessions took place on Friday and were also fruitful. The changes paid off, and the driver from Rossoszyca, with a large fuel reserve, finished 11th, but with a smaller gap to the leader than on Thursday. Friday concluded with a practice session, during which the driver in the number 8 car relaxed his pace and focused on race preparations with long runs. The goal was to demonstrate his true pace on Saturday.
The first fifteen-minute qualifying session was quite challenging, and not everything went according to plan for the RPM driver (11th). The pace improved during the second qualifying session, and a fight with the frontrunners looked promising. Unfortunately, two attempts were then removed for violating track limits, and the Pole was placed 16th. However, the stewards later reviewed the results and reinstated the wrongly removed lap time, leaving the driver from Rossoszyca in 9th place. There was a desire for more, but this time trial was still the best of the year’s FRMET trials. Przyrowski and his team focused on fighting for much higher positions in the races. They managed to improve on Saturday, and after a successful start and a fierce battle, they scored a point for 10th place.
Second podium of the season and a thrilling round finale
For the second race, the order for the Top 12 was reversed. Jan Przyrowski started from third on the grid. He had a very good start and managed to maintain his top three position. The ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé then battled Alex Ninovic for second place until the very end. Ultimately, the Australian held off his fellow countryman’s attacks. The pace during this event was very competitive, as evidenced by Jan’s second-fastest race time. This was Przyrowski’s second podium finish of the winter Formula Regional Middle East Trophy season, after finishing second at the Yas Marina Corkscrew the previous week.
The third race was scheduled just over two hours later. This also complicated matters for those who experienced problems during the morning. Yuki Sano and Alex Powell experienced such problems. It quickly became clear that the Japanese driver’s car wouldn’t be rebuilt after a crash on the start straight, allowing the 17-year-old to start from 8th place. This was indeed the case, but even before the formation lap, it became clear that a problem with the polesitter prevented him from leaving the pit lane.
Ultimately, the drivers started from their respective grids, with only P1 remaining empty. Jan Przyrowski’s strong start allowed him to battle with his rivals ahead. He also managed to gain ground here, despite being sandwiched between two rival cars on the approach to Turn 1. The race was closely contested throughout, with the RPM driver settling in well and moving up to 5th place. The results were updated immediately after the race, as the competitor ahead of Przyrowski caused a collision, earning him a 10-second penalty. Ultimately, the 17-year-old from Rossoszyca finished fourth. In summary, he scored as many as 28 points this weekend.
Jan Przyrowski happy with podium and progress
“The Dubai round is behind me. I can be very happy. With the RPM team, we’re gradually finding more pace in the car, and thanks to that, we can fight with the leaders more and more often. Three races in the points, of which we have one podium (3rd place) and P4 in a race full of wheel-to-wheel battles after starting from P8,” said Jan Przyrowski after the FRMET round in Dubai.
“After three weeks, we have a short break. However, we’ll be back on February 11-13 and competing in the final round in Qatar. The Lusail track looks very pleasant, and I can’t wait for the first tests and practice sessions. During the break, I’m still focusing on further work to be as prepared as possible for the next races. I’m glad that so many Polish motorsport fans supported me and, despite the often early hours of the day, kept their fingers crossed for me. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my partners for their support: ORLEN, the ORLEN Motorsport Academy, PZM and Geothermal Solutions, the Łódź Economic Zone, Samarite, ENEXA, Elektro-miz, and Ansite. Thank you for everything!” concluded the RPM team driver.
Another challenge in less than two weeks
The Formula Regional Middle East Trophy leaves the United Arab Emirates for a 10-day break. However, from February 11-13, the field will return to action, this time moving to Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit, a venue known for F1 and MotoGP. The competition will take place unusually, not on a weekend, but midweek (Wednesday-Friday). For Jan Przyrowski, this will be another new F1 track he will experience. Given the progress he has made in recent weeks, the 17-year-old is once again aiming to fight for a position among the very top and advance in the general classification at the end of the 2026 winter season.
Where can I watch FRMET with Jan Przyrowski?
The broadcast of qualifying and the races in Qatar will be available for free on the official FIA-certified FR Middle East Trophy YouTube channel. All important information will be shared on Jan Przyrowski’s social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, and X). A detailed schedule will be published a few days before the next round, including the confirmed times for each FRMET session on the track.