Blog

The Formelaustria Race Academy team Renauer Motorsport has so far confirmed two drivers for its three entries in this year’s F4 Central European Zone championship. After finishing third in last season’s team standings, team boss Sepp Renauer is aiming to repeat that achievement. However, he is fully aware that this year’s competition will be tougher than ever.

Preparations for the 2026 season actually began several months ago. Renauer Motorsport, which is cooperating with the Formelaustria Race Academy, Austria’s only professional junior driver programme that takes care of all driver scouting amongst many other services, kicked off the year 2026 with a campaign in the Formula Winter Series in January, fielding Lithuanian driver Tomas Rudokas, who will contest the full F4 CEZ season.

“Tomas’ father contacted the academy, and following a F4 test last October, Tomas joined the academy, so we collaborate for the 2026 F4 CEZ season. This is his first full season in formula racing, but despite his limited single-seater experience, he is making good progress, so it will be a learning year for him,” says team owner Sepp Renauer about his first confirmed driver.

The second name on team line-up is Swiss driver Andreas Lo Bue, who already has one season of F4 CEZ experience under his belt. “We are very pleased to welcome young driver Andreas Lo Bue to our team for his second season,” Renauer adds.

After securing third place in the team standings last year, Renauer is determined to maintain a high level of performance and bring another strong results. Nevertheless, he remains cautious when it comes to predictions.

“We are entering the new season highly motivated and, as always, we want to give our best. However, making any prediction at this stage is impossible due to the large number of new teams,” Renauer comments on the outlook for the 2026 season and the expected large grid.

“In any case, it will be the most competitive F4 CEZ season to date. Accordingly, it will be more difficult for both drivers and teams to achieve strong results,” he adds, looking ahead to the challenges of the upcoming campaign. As he points out, the true competitive picture with Lo Bue and newcomer Rudokas will only become clear at the season opener at the Red Bull Ring in April.

With around 40 cars expected on the grid, the pressure on drivers will be significantly higher. So what advice does Sepp Renauer have for newcomers to the F4 Central European Zone?

“Stay focused, work hard, be honest in your analysis and keep the joy of racing alive,” he recommends.

• Share: