Jan Przyrowski secured second place during the race weekend at the Yas Marina Corkscrew circuit. This marked the RPM driver’s debut podium finish in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy and the distinction for best position among rookies in the second race. The ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé is now heading to the Dubai Autodrome, where the third round of the season will take place from 30th January to 1st February.

Hard work pays off

The driver from Rossoszyca experienced technical problems during the first round of the FRMET season, which hampered his competition. After identifying the cause, the engine in his Tatuus T-326 was replaced before the start of the race weekend. The 17-year-old immediately felt the difference, but his first task was to properly break in the engine. This complicated the start of the weekend, as Jan Przyrowski was only able to fully pursue his racing program from the following sessions. By the end of the day on Friday, the RPM driver had completed several fast runs on a worn-out set of tyres and still finished ninth, just a short distance behind the leaders. It seemed he could improve enough on Saturday to challenge the frontrunners in qualifying.

Unfortunately, Q1 and Q2 were very chaotic on Saturday, with numerous yellow flags and at least one red flag interruption. This was just as Przyrowski was nearing the end of his fastest laps, which would have put him in the top five at the start of Races 1 and 3. There was very little time to improve, and unfortunately, the times he set allowed him to finish a distant 14th and 20th. This scenario again led to a difficult remainder of the race weekend. In the first race, Jan did everything he could to fight for points. He ultimately moved up two positions on the track, and later, one of his rivals was penalized for breaking the rules, resulting in an 11th-place finish. This result was close to earning him his first point in the new series. At the same time, the starting order for the second race was determined based on the first race order, with the top twelve drivers reversed. The ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé thus secured a front-row start (2nd on the grid).

First Points and an Immediate Podium

The Formula Regional Middle East Trophy field received a rather unusual welcome on Sunday. It turned out to be rain, and the Yas Marina track was very wet. After the out-laps, everyone was debating which tires to choose. Ultimately, those who chose wet tires were in a better position. Jan Przyrowski also made the same decision. After the race started behind the safety car, the Pole mastered the difficult conditions at the restart. The RPM driver first dealt with Alex Ninovic ahead of him, then pulled away to a safe distance. After a few laps, his rival’s tires began to perform slightly better, and he was able to regain the lead. However, the 17-year-old from Rossoszyca didn’t give up and tried to attack again. Ultimately, a late-race neutralization ruined the opportunity to attack.

Second place ultimately meant securing his first points, his first podium finish, and the Best Rookie of the Year award in Race 2. The event also demonstrated that if the opportunity to fight for victory arises, Jan Przyrowski and RPM are in contention.

The third race took place on a completely dry track. The Pole started from 20th position and aimed to advance as far up the grid as possible. This proved successful from the start. First, he managed to gain two positions after the start, then two more on the track. The 17-year-old finished 16th, but after two rivals committed rule violations, he moved up to 14th. This allowed him to maintain his progress in each session and gather further valuable information for his development.

Jan Przyrowski happy after securing a podium finish and with high hopes for improvement in Dubai

“The second round of FRMET is behind me. I’m glad I secured a podium in the second race at the shortened Yas Marina. It gave me a lot of joy, and I believe it will only get better. I feel that the RPM team and I have found more pace in the car after the engine change, and now it’s just a matter of getting everything in sync in qualifying. Starting position with such small differences is key to fighting for podiums and wins in each of the weekend’s three races. I’m happy that I’ve progressed each time and managed to move up from P14 to P11 and from P20 to P14, but I’m aiming much higher. That’s why I want to maximize my potential in the upcoming round in Dubai to join the fight for the highest possible position in the general classification. I invite you to sit down and cheer, because it’s less than a week away,” said Jan Przyrowski after the second round of FRMET.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank ORLEN, the ORLEN Motorsport Academy, PZM, Geothermal Solutions, the Łódź Economic Zone, Samarite, ENEXA, Elektro-miz, and Ansite for their support. Thank you!” – concluded the ORLEN Motorsport Academy protégé.

New track, new challenge

The Formula Regional Middle East Trophy is changing venues after nearly three weeks. After pre-season testing and two rounds at the Yas Marina Circuit, it’s time for a change. Everyone is staying in the United Arab Emirates, but moving to the Dubai Autodrome. This 5.390 km track has 16 corners. Interestingly, the Dubai track is located in the Dubailand theme park and is known to many motorsport fans for hosting the 24-hour race, which debuted in 2006 and has since become one of the classics in the endurance world. Additionally, the third round of the FRMET will be shared with the Asian Le Mans Series.

Below is the schedule for the weekend (30th January – 1st February) at the Dubai Autodrome.

FRMET Dubai Race Weekend Schedule

Thursday, 29th January:

10:45-11:45 AM – First Test Session

Friday, 30th January:

6:15 AM – 7:15 AM – Second Test Session

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM – Practice Session

Saturday, 31st January:

5:50 AM – 6:05 AM – Qualifying 1 (running order for the first race)

6:10 AM – 6:25 AM – Qualifying 2 (ruling order for the third race)

9:25 AM – RACE 1 (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 1st February:

5:55 AM – RACE 2 (28 minutes + 1 lap) – Reverse Grid (reverse order for the Top 12 from Race 1)

9:25 AM – RACE 3 (28 minutes + 1 lap)

*All times (CET)

The qualifying and races in Dubai 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).