The REMO Super Formula Challenge 2026 got underway at Daytona International Speedway, with the opening round delivering a commanding victory, a competitive fight for the remaining podium positions and an early reminder of just how demanding the Super Formula SF23 can be when putting its power down.
@Preben Olaissen Hagen made the perfect start to his championship campaign, converting pole position into a lights-to-flag victory. Behind him, @Henrik Riise Strand and @Oivind Haugland emerged from a tightly contested battle for second and third, while incidents and a dramatic last-lap technical issue added further intrigue to the season opener.
With 14 drivers taking the start, the championship began with plenty of action and the first 40 points of the season going to Hagen.
Hagen sets the pace from pole
Preben Olaissen Hagen could hardly have asked for a better opening round. Starting from pole position in his Toyota-powered SF23, Hagen controlled the race from the front and gradually established himself as the driver to beat.
While the battle behind him developed into a multi-car contest, Hagen found the pace and consistency needed to break clear of the chasing pack. By the time the race settled into its rhythm, he had built a six-second advantage, giving himself valuable breathing room over the drivers fighting for the remaining podium positions.
His eventual victory came without a single incident point, underlining the quality of his performance. Over 23 laps, Hagen combined qualifying pace with race-day control to take the maximum 40 points on offer.
It was an emphatic opening statement from the championship's first race winner. With the field closely matched behind him, Hagen's ability to escape the early battles could prove significant as the season progresses.
A five-car fight for the podium
While the lead belonged firmly to Hagen, the contest behind him was considerably less straightforward.
Henrik Riise Strand, Oivind Haugland, @Simon Quinn, @Connor R Davies and @Ethan Turner2 were among the drivers involved in the fight for the positions immediately behind the leader. With several cars in contention, every position became important as the field worked through the opening round.
Strand ultimately secured second place in his Honda-powered SF23. Starting alongside Hagen on the front row, he maintained his position among the front-runners and crossed the line ahead of Haugland to claim 34 championship points.
Haugland delivered a strong performance in his Toyota, moving up from fourth on the grid to finish third. His two incident points reflected a competitive race, but he secured a valuable 30-point haul and completed the opening podium.
Simon Quinn was another driver to benefit from the close competition. Starting sixth, Quinn climbed to fourth and finished with just one incident point. His result earned 27 points and placed him firmly in the early championship picture.
Connor R Davies, meanwhile, started third and was firmly in contention during the battle for the podium places. However, his race took an unfortunate turn on the final lap when he collided with Ethan Turner2, whose car suddenly decelerated due to a technical issue. With little time to react, Davies was unable to avoid the impact, costing him valuable ground and contributing to a difficult finish in eighth place.
Ethan Turner2 was another contender whose race did not deliver the result his early position suggested was possible. Starting fifth, he eventually finished 12th after completing 22 laps. His race would also end with a dramatic incident on the final lap, adding an unfortunate conclusion to his opening-round campaign.
The five-car contest demonstrated the potential for close racing in the REMO Super Formula Challenge. With several drivers capable of fighting near the front, Hagen's early advantage may not be so straightforward to reproduce at every circuit.
Strong starts and valuable points further down the field
Behind the leading group, several drivers put together useful performances to establish themselves in the championship standings.
@Charlie Okane secured fifth place after starting eighth, gaining three positions on his way to 25 points. Despite recording four incident points, the result represented a positive start to his campaign and placed him among the leading scorers after Round 1.
@Gareth Evans finished sixth, having started tenth. His progress through the field earned him 23 points, while @Liam Stacey crossed the line seventh after starting 11th, collecting 21 points.
Stacey's race was more complicated than the finishing position alone suggests. His involvement in an early incident with Adam Colton resulted in consequences, including a post-race penalty 10 second penalty.
@Mark Bowskill also made progress from the starting order, moving from 14th to tenth. His four incident points accompanied a 15-point finish, giving him a solid return from the back of the grid.
@Rudi Åvitsland finished ninth, while @Alexander Vingmark completed the race in 11th. Both drivers finished on the lead lap, with Vingmark recording six incident points.
Further back, @Ken Bakken finished 13th after completing 22 laps. @Adam Colton race was the shortest of the field, lasting just four laps before his involvement in the opening-lap incident brought his running to an early end.
The opening lap proves unforgiving
The first event of the season exposed a particular challenge for the field: getting the power down cleanly at the start.
Several drivers struggled to manage the SF23's acceleration off the line, and the opening moments quickly became a test of throttle control and car placement.
Mark Bowskill suffered a slow start, while Liam Stacey struggled to keep his car straight under power. Stacey subsequently collected Adam Colton, causing major damage to Colton's car and bringing his race to an end after just four laps.
The incident had consequences beyond the immediate damage. Stacey received a 10-second post-race penalty, adding another complication to his opening-round result.
For the drivers, the incident provided an early lesson in the demands of the Super Formula machinery. With significant power available, getting a clean launch requires precision, especially when several cars are accelerating into the same space.
As the championship moves forward, starts will be an area worth watching. A strong launch can create opportunities, but a loss of control can quickly undo the work put into qualifying.
A dramatic final-lap incident
The race also ended with an unfortunate moment involving Ethan Turner2 and Connor R Davies.
On the final lap, Turner experienced a technical issue that caused his car to decelerate dramatically. Davies, following behind, had no time to react to the sudden loss of speed and collided with the back of Turner's car.
It was an incident caused by an unexpected change in speed rather than a battle for position developing in the usual way. Both drivers subsequently agreed that no further action was necessary.
For Turner, the technical issue brought a difficult end to a race in which he had started fifth.
The incident was a reminder that even in close, competitive racing, not every collision is the result of a conventional on-track dispute. In this case, the two drivers resolved the matter between themselves, allowing attention to return to the racing ahead.
What we learned from Daytona
The first round offered three important early takeaways.
Hagen is the benchmark to beat. A pole position, a six-second lead and a clean race gave the Toyota driver the strongest possible start to his championship. He has established an early advantage, but the chasing pack showed enough pace to suggest that he will face tougher challenges as the season develops.
The fight behind the leader is wide open. Strand and Haugland took the other podium positions, while Quinn and several others remained involved in the contest for the leading places. The gap between a strong result and a disappointing one was narrow, and consistency could become a major factor in the championship.
Race execution matters as much as outright speed. The opening-lap difficulties highlighted the challenge of managing the SF23 off the line, while the final-lap technical issue showed how quickly circumstances can change. Avoiding unnecessary incidents and converting qualifying pace into race results will be essential for anyone hoping to challenge for the title.
The championship begins
After Round 1, Preben Olaissen Hagen leads the early standings with 40 points, six clear of Henrik Riise Strand and ten ahead of Oivind Haugland. Simon Quinn sits fourth on 27 points, with Charlie Okane completing the top five on 25.
It is only the beginning of the REMO Super Formula Challenge 2026, and Daytona has already provided a glimpse of the competition to come. Hagen has set the standard, but the battle behind him remains open, with several drivers showing the pace to challenge for podiums.
The opening round has established the first points, the first rivalries and the first questions for the field to answer. The challenge now is to carry that momentum into the next event.
One round down, and the fight for the REMO Super Formula Challenge title is underway.
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