Race 1 flash report: Champion Kiss storms to Slovakia Goodyear FIA ETRC glory
Norbert Kiss delivered on his qualifying pace to win Race 1 at Slovakia Ring and sneak further ahead of Jochen Hahn in the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship title chase with victory number four of 2026.
Hahn finished second to the seven-time Goodyear FIA ETRC champion – a triple winner during the Misano season opener last weekend – with Sascha Lenz banking his third podium of the campaign in third.
Mark Taylor took the Chrome category honours in fifth overall behind José Eduardo Rodrigues, who overtook for fourth at almost the last corner after an intense battle.
“It was good, a good start and I was in front and clear for the braking zone at the first turn, so it was nice, I didn’t have to fight much in the first turn,” MAN-powered Kiss said. “I did no mistakes so it was good. The grip is still not really good and I’m not happy about the balance but we’ll keep working on it and try some set-up changes maybe. But it was nice to win.”
Hahn, who won Race 3 at Misano and began the Slovakia Ring weekend four points behind Kiss in the Goodyear FIA ETRC standings, crossed the finish line 6.650s off first place. “It’s good, the last four laps I have a little problem with what feels like the engine, we will fix it for the second race,” Hahn said. “But I could hold the pace, it was amazing.”
Third-placed Lenz said: “It was a nice race, I have a good start, and I can go my pace, I’m very happy. For sure it’s another podium, which is really nice.”
After snatching fourth from Taylor at almost the final corner, Rodrigues said: “It was a great race, it was a very tough battle and very difficult to pass Mark, but we try everything. In the last corner, Mark opened a little bit and I put it on the inside. The truck is okay, it’s just the bodywork [is a bit damaged].”
Chrome champion Taylor, who took the chequered flag 0.193s behind Rodrigues as he celebrated winning the Chrome category, said: “It was a good race and I kept my pace, things went well, and the truck is going fine. We’ve been working on it and everything seems good, hopefully same again for the next race. I had one slight lock-up into the last corner, so [Rodrigues] just got that edge on me on the inside.”
Antonio Albacete finished sixth with Steffi Halm seventh and René Reinert battling back from 14th on the grid to finish eighth after gearbox problems in Free Practice 2 prevented him from taking part in first qualifying. He will line up in pole position for Race 2, which uses a partially reversed grid, alongside Halm.
John Newell and Steffen Faas rounded out the top 10 in second and third in the Chrome category respectively. Newell, who was limited to 140kph in qualifying due to a technical issue, now leads the Chrome standings.
Luis Recuenco was 11th on his debut in his new-for-2026 Mercedes-Benz. Clemens Hecker and Luke Garrett were next up, but a gearbox problem halted Bradley Smith’s progress.
Race 2 is due to begin at 17:30 local time live on YouTube. Click HERE for live timing, while all results are available via the Sportity app using the password: FIA_ETRC_26.
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