This weekend marks the beginning of the final phase of the 2026 winter racing season, with the Eurocup-3 and Eurocup-4 winter series holding their first rounds at Portimão. Feeder Series previews the action.

By Feeder Series

The opening Formula Regional Middle East round of 2026 last year was groundbreaking for being the first racing event featuring the second-generation FRegional car. It may not be on the same level of newness, but the Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship’s opener in Portimão this weekend has a similar feeling, with the Dallara 326 – an evolution of Euroformula Open’s Dallara 324 – making its competitive debut.

The new chassis for Eurocup-3 means that it will run a different brand of car entirely to its support series, the Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship. While Spanish F4’s winter series will remain with the Tatuus F4-T421, Eurocup-3’s moves away from Tatuus and the formal FRegional specifications to a Dallara-built chassis derived from FIA F3 European Championship machinery.

USF Juniors also held its first races of 2026 mid-week. While not included in this preview because all the sessions were already held by Wednesday, be on the lookout for a review of the action on Monday alongside our reports from the two series at Portimão.

1. Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship: Round 1, Portimão
2. Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship: Round 1, Portimão

Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship: Round 1, Portimão

Circuit: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, 4.653 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+0)

Friday 20 February 

• 12:10–12:50: Official test 1
• 14:30–15:10: Official test 2

Saturday 21 February 

• 10:00–10:20: Qualifying 1
• 12:15–12:50: Race 1
• 14:55–15:20: Sprint race

Sunday 22 February

• 9:55–10:15: Qualifying 2
• 12:00–12:35: Race 2

How to follow: Live timing for all sessions will be available through Al Kamel Systems. All races will be streamed on the Spanish Winter Championship YouTube channel in English and Spanish. 

Weather forecast: Bright and sunny all weekend.

What to know: Eurocup-3 returns to Portugal’s Algarve circuit for the first of three rounds in this year’s running of the Spanish Winter Championship. 

The second edition of the Eurocup-3 winter series marks a new era for the championship. The newly introduced Dallara 326 chassis, which replaces the modified Tatuus F3-T318 used from 2023 to 2025, will have its maiden races this weekend, and four new teams will join the championship: Hitech, Double R Racing, TC Racing and Tecnicar. In total, 29 drivers and nine teams will take to the grid in Portimão, the likes of which include reigning F4 champions, GB3 race winners and returning competitors from Eurocup-3’s 2025 season.

In yesterday’s collective tests, MP Motorsport’s Ean Eyckmans came out on top in both sessions. Keanu Al Azhari and Thomas Strauven completed the top three in the first session whilst Alex Powell and Enzo Tarnvanichkul followed Eyckmans in the second session.

You can find out everything and everyone you’ll need to know for the 2026 Eurocup-3 winter series in our season guide here.

Report by Seb Tirado

From the press: The revised Eurocup-3 package has attracted a diverse mix of drivers and teams, from returning race winners such as James Egozi to the dominant forces of the F4 tier such as Thomas Strauven. In November last year, we spoke to both Egozi and Struaven about their 2025 seasons and their goals for 2026. Read Egozi’s and Strauven’s words here.

Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship: Round 1, Portimão

Circuit: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, 4.653 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+0)

Friday 20 February 

• 11:00–12:00: Official test 
• 13:50–14:20: Free practice 1
• 15:20–15:50: Free practice 2

Saturday 21 February 

• 9:00–9:20: Qualifying 1
• 11:00–11:35: Race 1
• 13:50–14:15: Sprint race

Sunday 22 February

• 9:00–9:20: Qualifying 2
• 10:50–11:25: Race 2

How to follow: Live timing for all sessions will be available through Al Kamel Systems. All races will be streamed on the Spanish Winter Championship YouTube channel in English and Spanish. 

Weather forecast: Bright and sunny all weekend.

What to know: Spanish F4’s winter series, dubbed Eurocup-4, kicks off its second edition at Portimão this weekend. 

This year’s Spanish Winter Championship series will appear alongside Eurocup-3 in all three rounds after having a separate finale at the Circuito de Navarra in 2025. Twelve teams and 32 drivers will compete in the opening round, including multi-time podium finishers from the 2025 Eurocup-4 and Spanish F4 seasons as well as 12 rookies making their single-seater debuts.

Find out everything about the championship and who will be competing in our season guide here.

Report by Seb Tirado 

All times and forecasts listed above are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, follow each series’ websites or social media pages.

Header photo credit: Dutch Photo Agency