Portimão set to host the second round of the 2026 F4 Spain Championship
With the arrival of June, the 2026 F4 Spain season reaches full speed with two events scheduled this month. The first one takes place this coming weekend at the Algarve International Circuit, while two weeks later the championship paddock will move on to Motorland Aragón. But first, all eyes are on Portimão, where Griffin Core by Campos will field its three Tatuus single-seaters for Noah Monteiro, Vivek Kanthan and Ty Fisher. Meanwhile, the trio of Daniel Kelleher, Luna Fluxá and Jacob Micallef will race under the Campos Racing banner.
The season opener, held in Cheste in mid-April, left the Alzira-based team with plenty of reasons for optimism. Monteiro heads into his home event sitting second in the overall standings with 43 points after claiming third place in every race held in Valencia. Consistency has always been one of the Portuguese youngster’s greatest strengths and, in front of his home crowd, Monteiro will be aiming for even more.
American driver Kanthan was another standout performer during the opening round. His two pole positions underlined his natural speed and he capped off the weekend by taking victory in the race that brought the meeting to a close. As a result, Kanthan arrives in Portimão fourth in the standings with 31 points to his name. Fisher also impressed on his debut, with two fourth-place finishes for the young Canadian, performances that leave him well placed among the frontrunners in the drivers’ championship.
Irishman Kelleher also showcased flashes of his talent with a fourth-place finish, while Spain’s Fluxá displayed similar potential. In her case, however, contact while running in a strong points-scoring position prevented her from leaving Valencia with a reward that reflected her pace. Maltese driver Micallef experienced similar misfortune and will be equally determined to demonstrate his full potential at this second round of the season.
In the teams’ standings, Griffin Core by Campos currently occupies second place with 70 points. The Algarve International Circuit marks the championship’s only venture outside Spanish borders. Measuring 4.653 kilometres in length, Portimão is an extremely demanding venue for F4 machinery, featuring dramatic elevation changes such as the plunge into Turn 1, known as “Primeira”. The long right-hander “Galp”, which leads onto the start-finish straight, offers one of the best slipstreaming opportunities on the circuit and a prime overtaking spot under braking. The “VIP Tower” corner is another clear passing opportunity. As is customary in F4 Spain, races are often contested in tightly packed groups, with only a few tenths of a second separating the drivers.
The timetable features two free practice sessions on Friday at 13:50 and 14:50. On Saturday, the first qualifying session will get underway at 10:00. Race 1, lasting 30 minutes plus one lap, is scheduled to start at 12:00, while Race 2 (25 minutes plus one lap) will follow at 14:50. On Sunday, drivers will return to the track at 10:00 for the second qualifying session. The third and final race of the weekend, lasting 30 minutes plus one lap, will begin at 12:00. All sessions will be streamed live on the championship’s official YouTube channel. All times are CET.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): “The season started in a very positive way for us in Valencia. We showed strong pace, the ability to fight at the front, and great consistency, which is essential in such a competitive championship as F4 Spain. Portimão is a demanding, technical and spectacular circuit where drivers must combine speed, precision and race management. We have worked hard over the past few weeks to continue improving and we arrive with the goal of fighting for victories, podium finishes and important points in both championships. I am confident that our drivers will have a great opportunity to showcase their talent this weekend.”
