Goodyear FIA ETRC stars test to be best at Most
Leading drivers from the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship continued their preparations for the upcoming season during three days of testing at Autodrom Most earlier this week (13-15 April).
The private session, organised by stalwart Goodyear FIA ETRC outfit Team Hahn Racing, gave teams and drivers the opportunity to gain valuable track time either in new or redeveloped race trucks ahead of the 2026 season getting under way at Misano in Italy next month (30-31 May).
Drivers in action at the Czech Republic venue included seven-time champion Norbert Kiss, former title winners Antonio Albacete, Jochen Hahn and Adam Lacko, last year’s top Chrome-classified driver Mark Taylor and runner-up Bradley Smith, plus Emma Mäkinen, who recently announced her return to the Goodyear FIA ETRC.
“It was the first time after the winter rebuild so it’s nice to be in it again,” said British driver Taylor. “It’s been a long time since Jarama till now, so it’s just to get back into it. The truck has had a strip down like normal, a few adjustments to the suspension, new parts. My main thing was driving, I like to be comfortable, seating positions and stuff like that.”
Spaniard Albacete, the winner of the final race of the 2025 Goodyear FIA ETRC at Jarama last October, his home event, said: “We have a brand-new truck, still with the same team, T Sport Bernau, the same people. We didn't have a very good start of last season, so let’s hope to be more constant. The truck is going quite well, I’m happy how it’s going.”
Luis Recuenco used the Most test to get behind the wheel of his new-for-2026 Mercedes-Benz race truck, while Adam Lacko, the 2017 ETRC champion, announced exciting plans to contest the Nürburgring and Most rounds during the test.
Steffi Halm tried her newly rebuilt IVECO. “We rebuilt the truck completely, made some modifications and changes,” she said. “I’m happy to be back on the racetrack, to have my mind in a different position.”
Téo Calvert, Steffen Faas, Clemens Hecker, Sascha Lenz, John Newell and René Reinert also took part in the Autodrom Most test, as did Goodyear FIA ETRC aspirant Harry Dueñas, who travelled from Mexico.
Meanwhile, Christian Ruppert’s test was interrupted by an engine issue. “We worked on the truck during the winter, and we are happy to be here,” said Ruppert. “But we had problems with the engine, the cylinder head was broken, so it was a long nightshift.”
Goodyear FIA ETRC drivers experienced both wet and dry conditions during the three-day test with ambient temperatures between 10-15 degrees centigrade throughout.
The Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship returns to Autodrom Most for the fourth event of the 2026 season from 29-30 August. Click HERE for ticket information.
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