The 2026 Austria Formula Cup is the 45th season of the Austria Formula Cup. It is the series' first season since 2012 to run without a title sponsorship, as the championship ran as the Remus F3 Cup from 2013 to 2018 and as the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup from 2019 to 2025.
The championship features a mix of professional and gentleman drivers, competing in both contemporary and earlier-generation Formula 3 cars as well as Formula Renault 2.0 machinery. The 2026 season is scheduled to be held over eight race weekends across Europe, beginning in April at the Red Bull Ring and concluding in October at Mugello Circuit. The championship continues its cooperation with the F2000 Italian Formula Trophy, with the two series sharing grids and race slots for multiple rounds.
Jo Zeller Racing's Sandro Zeller defended his Formula 3 Cup title, now the overall championship title, with two weekends to spare, thereby claiming his ninth title in the highest class of the Austria Formula Cup.
Teams and drivers The class system was restructured for the 2026 season: The Formula 3 Cup, previously a separate class, became the overall ranking and encompasses all cars entered, with entrants in the Formula 3 Trophy, Formula Regional and Formula Light Cup classes now collecting points both in the overall ranking and their separate classes.
Formula 3 Cup-only entries TeamDriverCarEngineRounds Corbetta Racing2 Laurence BalestriniDallara F314Volkswagen1–2, 4–546 Riccardo PeregoDallara F312Volkswagen2, 5 Jo Zeller Racing11 Kurt BöhlenDallara F316Mercedes HWA1, 5, 744 Sandro ZellerDallara F312Mercedes HWA1–2, 4–7 Franz Wöss Racing12 Christof LedermannDallara F320Mercedes HWA1–2, 4–7 Ludwig KronawitterDallara F320Mercedes HWA3 Puresport14 Andrea BenalliDallara F314Mercedes HWA1–2, 4–5 Nannini Racing18 Marco FalciDallara F314Volkswagen1–2, 4 G Motorsport20 Stig LarsenDallara F320Mercedes HWA1–2, 4–5 F. C. Racing41 Franco CimarelliDallara F312Volkswagen2, 4 FG Motorsport49 Filippo GolinDallara F317Volkswagen5 Red Rose Racing by LRT81 Michael FischerDallara F315Mercedes HWA1–3 Magyar Racing Team146 János MagyarTatuus Formula MasterHonda1, 5–7 Antonino Racing777 Antonino PellegrinoDallara F393Toyota4Sources:
Formula 3 Trophy entries TeamDriverCarEngineRounds Jo Zeller Racing4 Urs RüttimannDallara F308Volkswagen2, 5 Facondini Racing6 Enrico MilaniDallara F308FPT2, 488 Francesco SolfaroliDallara F317Volkswagen4–5 Speed Motor7 Karim SartoriDallara F308Toyota1–2, 5 Team Hoffmann Racing9 Lee CunninghamDallara F314Toyota1–3, 6–722 André PetropoulosDallara F316Opel Spiess1–4, 6–7 Giordano Motorsport10 Luca IannaconeDallara F308FPT1–3, 5–721 Umberto VaglioDallara F313Toyota2, 4–5 Giovanni GiordanoDallara F317Toyota6 Corbetta Racing13 Sergio TerriniDallara F308FPT551 Angelo ComiMygale F3FPT5 Bellspeed27 Patrick BellezzaDallara F300Fiat2, 4 One Competition28 Federico PorriDallara F308FPT4 Sud Motorsport33 Giuseppe MarinaroDallara F310FPT5 Nannini Racing42 Davide PedettiDallara F317Toyota2, 4 Chabr Motorsport54 Tomáš ChabrDallara F308Mugen Honda7 Racing in Italy75 Mei ShibiDallara F308Volkswagen5 Ruote Scoperte79 Fabio TurchettoDallara F308FPT5 ADAC Südbayern e.V.91 Nicolas LöfflerDallara F312Mercedes HWA1–3, 5–7 Team Perodi92 Romano CataldoDallara F316Toyota1 Neuhauser Racing Team140 Hannes NeuhauserDallara F303Opel Spiess1 APE Racing911 Nikolay TakevDallara F310Opel Spiess6–7Sources:
Formula Regional Class entries TeamDriverCarEngineRounds Viola Formula Racing3 Arthur LorimierTatuus F3 T-326Renault5 Team Hoffmann Racing Karlheinz MatzingerTatuus F3 T-318Alfa Romeo317 Walter StendingTatuus F3 T-318Alfa Romeo2, 798 Václav ŠafářTatuus F3 T-318Alfa Romeo7122 Dr. Norbert GroerTatuus F3 T-318Alfa Romeo1–3, 6–7 Valentino Racing Team4 Valentino CarofanoTatuus F3 T-318Alfa Romeo4 Markus Leidinger8 Markus LeidingerTatuus F3 T-318Alfa Romeo1, 5 Alpha Racing32 Sandro de VirgilisTatuus F3 T-318Renault4 Ruote Scoperte33 Andrea MasciTatuus F3 T-318Renault4 Henry Morrogh Drivers School37 Matteo ZoccaliTatuus F3 T-318Renault1–2, 4–5, 7 Kermor Motorsport68 Zeno KovacsTatuus F3 T-318Renault4–7 Red Rose Racing by LRT101 Norbert LenzenwegerTatuus F3 T-318Renault1Sources:
Formula Light Cup entries TeamDriverCarEngineRounds Henry Morrogh Drivers School9 Giovanni CiccarelliTatuus F4 T-421 Abarth2 PLM Racing18 Domenico TerronTatuus FR2.0Renault5 Team Thomas Clausi23 Bruno MottezTatuus FR2.0Renault5 Derva Corse ASD24 Marco de ToffolTatuus FR2.0Renault4 Stefano NoalTatuus FR2.0Renault5 Team Sarene Ziffel31 Sarene ZiffelTatuus FR2.0Renault1–2, 5 Vessicchio Corse50 Antonio VessicchioTatuus FR2.0Renault4 Valdelsa Classic Motor Club59 Riccardo RossiTatuus FR2.0Renault2 JMT Racing65 Roman RoubíčekTatuus F4 T-421Abarth6–7 Geier Racing66 Alexander GeierTatuus FR2.0Renault1, 5 Kermor Motorsport114 Vida BenedekTatuus FR2.0Renault3–7 Makolm Motorsport127 Christopher OslanecTatuus FR2.0Renault6 Red Rose Racing by LRT Jürgen BergerTatuus FR2.0Renault1175 Alexander FritzTatuus FR2.0Renault1–2, 6–7181 Stefan Eisinger-SewaldTatuus FR2.0Renault1–2 Franz Wöss Racing125 Robert SiskaTatuus FR2.0Renault3, 5 MSC Rottenegg133 Marco MilaniTatuus FR2.0Renault1 Jo Zeller Racing717 Walter ManiTatuus FR2.0Renault6Sources: Race calendar The 2026 calendar was announced on 15 January 2026. After only holding seven events in 2025, the calendar grew back to eight events for 2026. The Red Bull Ring and the Vallelunga Circuit returned after one- and two-year absences, with the series is also scheduled to return to Automotodrom Grobnik for the first time since 2001. These rounds came at the expense of the Hockenheimring, which was not featured on the calendar for the first time since 2021, and the Misano World Circuit, which did not return after its debut in 2025. CircuitDateSupport billMap of circuit locations1R1 Red Bull Ring, Spielberg11 AprilF2000 Italian Formula TrophyFormula 4 CEZ ChampionshipR212 April2SR Imola Circuit, Imola25 AprilItalian GT Championship Sprint CupItalian Sport Prototype ChampionshipFR26 April3R1 Automotodrom Grobnik, Čavle16 MayTCR Eastern Europe Touring Car SeriesGT Cup SeriesR217 May4SR Vallelunga Circuit, Campagnano di Roma4 JulyPorsche Carrera Cup ItaliaGT4 Italian SeriesFR5 July5SR Monza Circuit, Monza1 AugustFX Racing WeekendEurocup-3Prototype Cup EuropeFR2 August6R1 Slovakia Ring, Orechová Potôň22 AugustTCR Eastern Europe Touring Car SeriesGT Cup SeriesR223 August7R1 Brno Circuit, Brno12 SeptemberFormula 4 CEZ ChampionshipGT Cup SeriesR213 September8SR Mugello Circuit, Scarperia e San Piero16–18 OctoberF2000 Italian Formula TrophyItalian National GT ChallengeMitjet Italia Racing SeriesFR
Race results CircuitPole positionFastest lapWinning driverWinning teamF3 Trophy winnerFormula Regional winnerFormula Light Cup winner1R1 Red Bull Ring Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Hannes Neuhauser Norbert Lenzenweger Sarene ZiffelR2 Sandro Zeller Andrea Benalli Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Nicolas Löffler Norbert Lenzenweger Sarene Ziffel2SR Imola Circuit Riccardo Perego Andrea Benalli Puresport André Petropoulos Matteo Zoccali Sarene ZiffelFR Sandro Zeller Michael Fischer Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Nicolas Löffler Matteo Zoccali Sarene Ziffel3R1 AutomotodromGrobnik Michael Fischer Michael Fischer Michael Fischer Red Rose Racing by LRT André Petropoulos Karlheinz Matzinger Vida BenedekR2 Michael Fischer Michael Fischer Michael Fischer Red Rose Racing by LRT André Petropoulos Karlheinz Matzinger Vida Benedek4SR Vallelunga Circuit Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing André Petropoulos Zeno Kovacs Vida BenedekFR Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Franco Cimarelli Valentino Carofano Vida Benedek5SR Monza Circuit Sandro Zeller Riccardo Perego Corbetta Racing Fabio Turchetto Markus Leidinger Sarene ZiffelFR Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Nicolas Löffler Arthur Lorimier Vida Benedek6R1 Slovakia Ring Sandro Zeller János Magyar Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Nicolas Löffler Dr. Norbert Groer Christopher OslanecR2 Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Nicolas Löffler Dr. Norbert Groer Christopher Oslanec7R1 Brno Circuit Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing Nicolas Löffler Václav Šafář Alexander FritzR2 Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing André Petropoulos Václav Šafář Alexander Fritz8SR Mugello CircuitFR
Season report The 2026 season of the newly-renamed Austria Formula Cup began at the Red Bull Ring with Jo Zeller Racing's Sandro Zeller taking pole position for both races. The first race saw Zeller win ahead of Puresport driver Andrea Benalli, with Michael Fischer taking third for Red Rose Racing by LRT. Zeller doubled down in race two by taking another victory to end the weekend with a perfect score in the lead of the standings. Benalli came second again, 14 points behind Zeller in the championship, as Nannini Racing's Marco Falci claimed third. ADAC Südbayern e.V. driver Nicolas Löffler, Red Rose Racing's Norbert Lenzenweger and privateer entry Sarene Ziffel ended the round leading the different subclasses.
Round two at Imola saw Zeller take yet another pole position, but the first race began with Falci careering into him on the opening lap, eliminating both from the race. That left Benalli free to take victory ahead of Corbetta Racing's Riccardo Perego and Fischer. Zeller bounced back with a flawless performance throughout multiple safety car interruptions in race two. Benalli took second ahead of Fischer to end the weekend just a single point behind the Swiss in the overall standings. Löffler and Ziffel meanwhile both extended their lead in their respective subclasses, while pre-event Formula Regional leader Lenzenweger was absent, allowing Henry Morrogh's Matteo Zoccali to overtake him in their class.
The series returned to Automotodrom Grobnik for the first time in 25 years for round three. Fischer was the only one of the pre-event top ten drivers to attend the event. He dominated the weekend by taking victory in both races, first in wet conditions on Saturday and then once again in the dry on Sunday. He thereby claimed the championship lead by 17 as Team Hoffmann Racing's André Petropoulos took second twice to rise to fourth in the overall standings and claim the lead in the F3 Trophy class. The leaders in Formula Regional and Formula Light were both absent as Team Hoffmann's Karlheinz Matzinger and Kermor's Vida Benedek took double class wins on their first outings of the seasons.
The first half of the season concluded at Vallelunga Circuit. Zeller claimed yet another pole position, which placed him in eighth for the sprint race. He worked his way up the order, while a technical issue ended the race for his closest competitor Benalli. Zeller claimed the lead, with G Motorsport's Stig Larsen beating Franz Wöss Racing's Christof Ledermann to third place. The feature race proved way more straightforward for Zeller, as he was able to take an unchallenged victory to retake the points lead over the absent Fischer. Larsen claimed another second place, this time leading Facondini's Francesco Solfaroli, while Benalli lost further ground with a non-point finish as he was now 46 points behind Zeller.