Goodyear FIA ETRC Le Mans raceday one round-up: Great eighth for Kiss while Rodrigues roars to victory

Needing 15 points from Race 1 to bank Goodyear FIA ETRC title glory, Kiss put top honours beyond doubt by finishing in a fine first place ahead of Jochen Hahn and Steffi Halm.

Bradley Smith hit back from a frustrating recent run of results to claim Chrome honours in Race 1, while John Newell rebounded from an opening-lap collision in the opening contest to secure the class victory in Race 2. And by beating points rival Mark Taylor in both counters today, Newell now leads the provisional Chrome standings having trailed Taylor by three points prior to the 24 Heures Camions weekend getting under way.

In Race 2, José Eduardo Rodrigues converted the reverse-grid pole into a dominant victory ahead of Hahn, who charged through from seventh place to second. Sascha Lenz completed the overall podium, while the delayed Taylor and Luis Recuenco filled out the remaining Chrome podium places behind Newell following a time penalty for Luke Garrett, who had finished second.

Rodrigues, who has moved to within touching distance of the Goodyear FIA ETRC Young Driver title, last won in the series at Autodrom Most in August 2025 but made full use of the opportunity by starting from pole to triumph after a troubled first race.

Flash reports from Race 1 and Race 2 are available at the links below. Go to the Sportity app using the password FIA_ETRC_26 for all results and standings. Register to access the new Goodyear FIA ETRC media hub by clicking HERE. Revisit Race 1 and Race 2 on YouTube.

Race 1: https://www.goodyearfiaetrc.com/news/eighth-goodyear-fia-etrc-title-sealed-with-a-kiss

Race 2: https://www.goodyearfiaetrc.com/news/rodrigues-roars-to-race-2-win-in-goodyear-f-a-etrc

Race 1 winner Norbert Kiss said: “It feels very good and I’m very proud of my team, Révész Racing and very thankful to the owner Mr Bálint Révész for giving us the opportunity to be here. The whole season they worked so hard and gave me a very good truck and, on every occasion, we were very fast, they make my job always a bit easier. We were building the gap every weekend, step by step. Eventually we arrived here and I’m very happy we could close the title with a victory.”

Race 1 Chrome winner Bradley Smith said: “That was good. The boys sorted the truck out last night and it’s going really well now. It was good to get a win for all the hard work they put in. The pace lasted from lap one to the last lap and it’s given me really good confidence. I tried a few times to get [René] but he kept holding me up, so I thought I’d stay put and not do anything silly and bring it home.”

Race 2 winner José Eduardo Rodrigues said: “It’s a very good victory. We don’t have the best start in the first race, so this result is very important for me, for the championship and for the points. I build a little gap to my opponents and I’m very happy with my truck and this result. In the first race I had one touch with René [Reinert], my wheel rim was broken, so I needed to go my tent [during the red flag], change the rim and come back. Now we work for tomorrow.”

Race 2 Chrome winner John Newell said: “We kept our head down, kept out of trouble and picked our moments. I can’t ask for anything more getting first in class after the bad luck I’ve had this weekend.”

All drivers are racing with Goodyear’s new-for-2026 tyre, which features 60 per cent sustainable materials, while tomorrow will provide the second opportunity of the season for fans to vote for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award on Instagram during Race 4.

Still to come…‍

Round six of the 2026 Goodyear FIA ETRC on the Circuit Bugatti at Le Mans continues tomorrow (Sunday) with a 15-minute Warm-up from 08:20 local time followed by Qualifying 4-5-6 at 09:50. Race 3, which is scheduled for 11 laps, is due to begin at 13:55 with the 11-lap Race 4 set to get under way at 16:55. Watch the action live on YouTube.

*Subject to confirmation of the results by the FIA. Race 2 results remain provisional

‍