Race preview: Goodyear FIA ETRC aces all set to light up Le Mans

Part of the ever-popular 24 Heures Camions event, which also features races for the British and national championships, thousands of fans will watch the Goodyear FIA ETRC stars fight for on-track supremacy and vital points with Norbert Kiss in touching distance of becoming European champion for a record-extending eighth time.

But while Hungarian hero Kiss has his eyes on the overall title prize, the battle for Chrome category honours for drivers with less experience and fewer top overall results remains finely balanced. Ahead of the Le Mans weekend, defending champion Mark Taylor leads John Newell by a mere three points.

Having won 15 races and qualified on pole 10 times so far in 2026, Révész Racing-run Kiss has established an advantage of 105 points over fellow MAN-powered Sascha Lenz from Germany. With a maximum of 120 points up for grabs between Le Mans and the Jarama season finale from 2-4 October, Kiss can put this year’s Goodyear FIA ETRC title beyond the reach of his rivals with one round to spare.

Fifteen drivers will contest the four Goodyear FIA ETRC races at Le Mans. In addition to Kiss, Lenz, Newell and Taylor, they are former multiple champions Antonio Albacete and IVECO-powered Jochen Hahn, Steffi Halm and René Reinert, who are among the race winners in 2026, top Young Driver José Eduardo Rodrigues, double Zolder Chrome winner Steffen Faas, his fellow German Chrome drivers Clemens Hecker and Stefan Kursch, British duo Luke Garrett and Bradley Smith, plus Mercedes-Benz-driving Luis Recuenco from Spain.

After banking two Goodyear FIA ETRC Chrome podiums at Circuit Zolder earlier this month, home hero Jonathan André will make the French championship his focus at Le Mans.

The TotalEnergies-supported driver highlighted the enormity of the 24 Heures Camions weekend. “It’s the main race of the season for me, a wonderful event. I will fight for the French championship, Jarama is next for me [in the Goodyear FIA ETRC]. As I am French, people are really pushing for me and there is always a very special atmosphere at Le Mans. It’s a great track to drive. It’s not the most complicated track, it’s difficult but Zolder is more difficult with all the kerbs and the slow chicanes. I like the tracks with no kerbs and Le Mans is a flat track for the motorbikes, like Misano, so I enjoy it, although the last corner is very tight, so the exit is very important. Just after Le Mans I will come to Jarama and the week after Jarama we have the final of the French championship in Albi. It’s busy and I try not to damage my truck.”

THE GOODYEAR FIA ETRC IN SHORT‍

Combining the excitement of truck racing with entertainment, sustainability and technical innovation, the Goodyear FIA ETRC is heavy metal motor sport at its very best, a truly unique spectacle and the pinnacle of global truck competition with 2026 marking the 20th full season since the current format was introduced.

With the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) assuming full control of the series, the Goodyear FIA ETRC enters an exciting new era in 2026.

As well as continuing to oversee the Goodyear FIA ETRC’s sporting and technical regulations, the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide is taking a more hands-on approach in running the championship.

Areas such as partnerships, calendar development, circuit relations, competitor engagement and paddock operations are all being managed directly by the FIA, part of efforts to strengthen the championship’s long-term growth by covering areas from sporting level to media exposure and sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HEART OF GOODYEAR FIA ETRC

Back in 2021, the Goodyear FIA ETRC became the first FIA-sanctioned motor sport series to switch to fully sustainable biofuel through a partnership with TotalEnergies, which continues in 2026.

All FIA ETRC drivers use Goodyear tyres incorporating 60 per cent sustainable materials, a five per cent increase compared to 2025, achieved through the use of carefully selected ingredients, such as silica produced from waste rice husk ash and carbon black sourced from alternative feedstocks. Goodyear retreads its racing tyres into standard truck tyres, thereby avoiding the practice of disposing of racing tyres.

Italian manufacturer IVECO, which introduced its electric S-eWay as the official Goodyear FIA ETRC pace truck in 2025, also remains a key partner.

KISS SHINES IN THE BELGIAN RAIN FOR EPIC GOODYEAR FIA ETRC VICTORY DOUBLE

Norbert Kiss took a giant step towards winning the 2026 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship with two heroic wet-weather drives at Circuit Zolder last Sunday (13 September). Having shared the race wins with Sascha Lenz the previous day, Kiss triumphed twice in the rain for a provisional lead of 105 points with two events and eight races remaining. After winning Race 3 from his 10th 2026 pole position, the Révész Racing-run Hungarian charged through from eighth to first in Race 4 for victory number 15 of the season, pulling off several spectacular overtakes in the process. Antonio Albacete and Lenz joined MAN-driving Kiss on the Race 3 podium after finishing second and third respectively with Lenz coming home second to the seven-time European champion in Race 4, one place ahead of IVECO-powered Jochen Hahn, who led for the first eight laps. Steffen Faas shone in the Chrome category with a victory double for tankpool24-Racing. By twice finishing second in the division, defending champion Mark Taylor completed the Belgian Truck Grand Prix weekend still leading the title standings, three points ahead of John Newell. After a rare error dropped him out of the Chrome podium fight in Race 3 – he finished fourth behind Jonathan André – Newell bounced back to place third in Race 4, securing the most fan votes to win the Goodyear Wingfoot Award ahead of Albacete and René Reinert. Kiss was followed home in Race 1 by Albacete and Hahn. Lenz, meanwhile, was restricted to seventh after a dramatic start to the opening contest when he ran through the gravel exiting the first corner in the battle for position. But he hit back in Race 2 to triumph ahead of Reinert, who resisted intense pressure from third-placed Hahn. After winning in the Chrome category for the first time this season at Autodrom Most last month, Newell finished first twice on Saturday. Championship rival Taylor was second in Race 1 ahead of André. Newell then topped an all-British podium in Race 2 with Taylor second and Luke Garrett third. Other notable performances in Race 1 came from José Eduardo Rodrigues, who finished fourth, and Reinert, whose capture of eighth place secured pole for the partially-reversed Race 2 grid. Kiss banked more important points with fourth place in Race 2.

FANS GET THEIR SAY WITH NEW-FOR-2026 GOODYEAR WINGFOOT AWARD

Already presented in several major series, including the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and the British Touring Car Championship, the Goodyear Wingfoot Award is new to the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship for 2026 and recognises driver performance and achievement in the Goodyear FIA ETRC. At each of the seven Goodyear FIA ETRC events, a panel of experts from the FIA and Goodyear nominate three drivers following Race 3, based on their overall performance during the race weekend, their sporting behaviour and highlights on track. Fans will then be able to vote for their driver of the weekend via Instagram from the shortlist of candidates during Race 4. The winner is announced as part of the live broadcast coverage of Race 4 and presented with the Goodyear Wingfoot Award on the final podium. Norbert Kiss (Misano), Sascha Lenz (Slovakia Ring), Jochen Hahn (Nürburgring), Lukas Hahn (Most) and John Newell (Zolder) are the winners so far.

PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST: ROUND 6, LE MANS BUGATTI, 25-27 SEPTEMBER

1 Norbert Kiss (Hungary), Révész Racing Kft, MAN (Titan)
2 Jochen Hahn (Germany), IVECO (Titan)
18 John Newell (Great Britain), MAN (Chrome)
23 Antonio Albacete (Spain), Team T Sport Bernau, MAN (Titan)
24 Steffen Faas (Germany), tankpool24 Racing, Freightliner (Chrome)
25 Clemens Hecker (Germany), Scania (Chrome)
30 Sascha Lenz (Germany), MAN (Titan)
33 Stefan Kursch (Germany), MAN (Chrome)
38 José Eduardo Rodrigues (Portugal), MAN (Titan)
42 Luke Garrett (Great Britain), MAN (Chrome)
44 Steffi Halm (Germany), IVECO (Titan)
46 Bradley Smith (Great Britain), MAN (Chrome)
64 Luis Recuenco (Spain), CDE GPR Sport, Mercedes-Benz (Chrome)
77 René Reinert (Germany), MAN (Titan)
81 Mark Taylor (Great Britain), MAN (Chrome)

THEY SAID WHAT? GOODYEAR FIA ETRC DRIVERS LOOK AHEAD TO LE MANS

Steffen Faas (Germany): “I hope we have rain like in Zolder! Only a joke but we fix the truck and go to Le Mans directly from the IAA [in Hannover] and look what we can do there. I like the track, it’s nice, good safety and Zolder gives me good confidence.”

Jochen Hahn (Germany): “Le Mans is one of my favourite circuits and we fight for second position in the championship. We were really too slow in the wet conditions at Zolder, so we must learn from these situations. But all is fine, all is good.”

Clemens Hecker (Germany): “Le Mans is one of the biggest events in our season. With all the race fans there it’s so great. When you cross under the Dunlop bridge it’s very difficult to go in this next corner but it’s interesting and I like Le Mans. It’s great to be there.”

Norbert Kiss (Hungary): “It’s the same like always, we try to do the best we can and if the title is coming then it’s coming. If we have some issues and we lose some points, then it’s okay. But I like Le Mans, it’s my favourite. I love it, the whole atmosphere and also the circuit itself is very nice and very smooth. I always love to race at Le Mans.”

Mark Taylor (Great Britain): “We’ll go to Le Mans like we always do, take it track by track, the easiest way. We’ll have a look at the track, see what’s best for it, if we’re to go back with the set-up or stay as we are. It’s been a good track for me in the past but it’s like every race, you need a bit of luck as well.”

GOODYEAR FIA ETRC IN SHORT

4x7: Seven rounds with four races per event (two races each day)
160 kph: Safety-first approach means a speed limit of 160kph
1200bhp: Power output of 1200bhp and torque of around 6000Nm
5300: Minimum required racing truck total weight is 5300 kilograms, with a minimum of 3150 kilograms measured on the front axle
Qualifying format: For Races 1 and 3 a three-stage qualifying format decides the grid: Q1/Q4: 15 minutes for all drivers; Q2/Q5: 10 minutes for the 12 fastest drivers from Q1/Q4; Q3/Q6: 5 minutes for fastest six drivers from Q2/Q5; grid positions for Races 2 and 4 decided by the results of Races 1 and 3 with the top-eight drivers lining up in reverse order
Titan or Chrome: Drivers are either categorised as Titan or Chrome depending on their experience and level of success
Titles: Four FIA titles for Overall and Chrome drivers, Young Driver and Teams
Goodyear Wingfoot Award: Three drivers are nominated for the public vote on via Instagram during Race 4 based on their overall performance, sporting behaviour and highlights on track

GOODYEAR FIA ETRC ROUND SIX ESSENTIALS

Venue: Circuit Bugatti, Circuit des 24 Heures, CS21928, 720199 Le Mans Cedex 2, France
Website: https://www.24h-camions.com/en
Date: 25-27 September 2026
Track length: 4.185 kilometres Turns: 11 (6 right, 5 left) Direction: Clockwise
2025 winners: Norbert Kiss x 2, René Reinert x 2
Tickets: Click HERE for more information
In 100 words: Rather than the 13.626-kilometre Circuit de La Sarthe, made famous by the 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race, France’s round of the Goodyear FIA ETRC – the penultimate event of the 2026 season – uses the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti. And it does so as part of the 24H Camions event, which ran for the first time in 1981 and features racing, displays, shows, thousands of fans and more. Inaugurated in 1965, the demanding Circuit Bugatti layout comes complete with the famous Le Mans start/finish straight, plus the Dunlop Curve and Chicane, while a twisty infield ensures there’s little respite for drivers.

CIRCUIT BUGATTI KEY TIMINGS*

Friday 25 September‍

11:15-12:00: Official Drivers’ Photo (for all drivers on grid)
14:40-15:10: Free Practice 1
16:30-18:00: Official Photo of the 24H Camions

Saturday 26 September

08:00-08:30: Free Practice 2
10:00-10:45: Qualifying 1-2-3 (15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes)
11:15-11:30: Autograph Session (Goodyear FIA ETRC Fan Village)
12:15-12:40: All trucks on grid
12:40-13:25: Grid Walk
13:25-13:40: Official Presentation
14:10-14:35: Race 1 (11 laps)
14:40: Race 1 podium
17:05-17:30: Race 2 (11 laps)
17:35: Race 2 podium

Sunday 27 September

08:20-08:35: Warm-up
09:50-10:35: Qualifying 4-5-6 (15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes)
12:00-12:15: Autograph Session (Goodyear FIA ETRC Fan Village)
13:55-14:20: Race 3 (11 laps)
14:30: Race 3 podium
16:55-17:20: Race 4 (11 laps)
17:25: Race 4 podium
*All timings are local, provisional and subject to change

WHERE TO WATCH

Details of where and when to watch the Goodyear FIA ETRC will be available by clicking HERE soon. Revisit all the races so far in 2026 on YouTube and watch A One Truck Family, the Goodyear FIA ETRC’s acclaimed and groundbreaking behind-the-scenes documentary from wige.

RIGHTS-FREE IMAGE GALLERY

https://fia-etrc.b2bmedia.cloud/en/

RESULTS AND STANDINGS

Via Sportity using the password: FIA_ETRC_26