EDRC: season fires into life as Santa Pod hosts traditional opener

The 2026 FIA European Drag Racing Championship begins this weekend at Santa Pod Raceway, as Europe’s premier drag racing sequence returns after the winter break for the primary of 4 championship rounds.

The championship as soon as once more options rounds at Santa Pod, Tierp Enviornment and Hockenheimring earlier than concluding with the European Finals again at Santa Pod in September.

In Prime Gas, reigning champion Susanne Callin returns to defend the title she secured in dramatic vogue on the closing spherical of the 2025 season. The Swede, driving for RF Motorsport, heads into the brand new marketing campaign aiming to repeat final 12 months’s success after edging out team-mate Liam Jones and former champion Jndia Erbacher in a detailed championship battle.

RF Motorsport fields a revised line-up for 2026, with Scottish driver Colin Millar moving into the crew’s second Prime Gas dragster. Millar is well-known to European followers via his appearances with the Flyin Fyfer Anglia and now graduates to the game’s premier class.

Erbacher, in the meantime, is predicted to be certainly one of Callin’s foremost challengers as soon as once more. The Swiss driver completed third in final 12 months’s standings after narrowly lacking out on a second consecutive crown and arrives at Santa Pod decided to reclaim the primary plate for her Monster Power-backed operation.

The Prime Gas subject could also be compact, however competitors stays intense, with further entries anticipated to affix later within the season as groups stability the numerous prices concerned in campaigning on the highest degree of the game.

Elsewhere, Prime Methanol continues to indicate encouraging progress, with seven vehicles entered for the opening spherical and extra groups anticipated to affix later within the marketing campaign. Reigning champion Sandro Bellio heads the sector after his profitable late-season cost to the 2025 title, whereas Sweden’s Jonny Lagg returns with a brand new automotive as he seeks to regain the crown.

The category additionally sees the return of three-time FIA European champion Timo Habermann following a prolonged absence, whereas Tina Høst Nedregård is again after recovering from the accident that interrupted her promising 2025 season. A number of rising drivers are additionally set to strengthen the class over the course of the 12 months, underlining the constructive momentum at the moment surrounding Prime Methanol competitors in Europe.

Professional Modified as soon as once more boasts the most important and best subject within the championship, with 18 vehicles entered for Santa Pod and drivers representing 10 nations. Double defending champion Jere Rantaniemi begins the season because the benchmark, however robust opposition is predicted from Marck Harteveld, Andres Arnover, Michel Tooren and David Vegter in what is predicted to be one other intently fought marketing campaign.

The depth of the class is additional highlighted by the return of Norwegian racer Stian Rusånes and former Prime Doorslammer champion Lars Sjöholm, whereas a number of UK entries add additional power to the sector at Santa Pod. With solely 16 locations out there for eliminations, qualifying is predicted to be extremely aggressive from the opening session onwards.

In Professional Inventory, reigning champion Robin Norén returns to defend his title towards a powerful Swedish contingent led by 13-time FIA European champion Jimmy Ålund. Michael Malmgren, Simon Ekengren and Stefan Ernryd will all be aiming to rebound from tough 2025 campaigns, whereas Germany’s Henry Riehl continues growth of the category’s solely non-American-bodied entry, a Mercedes CLK

Qualifying for the FIA classes begins on Saturday and Sunday, with eliminations and finals scheduled for Financial institution Vacation Monday.