Noah Monteiro matches history with F4 podium

Portuguese driver Noah Monteiro delivered an outstanding start to his 2026 campaign by securing a remarkable second-place finish in the final race of the opening round of the Spanish Winter Championship at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.

The result allows the 16-year-old to equal the best-ever finish achieved by a Portuguese driver in a Formula 4 championship race, while also moving into second place in the overall standings after the first round.

Monteiro’s weekend was defined by both adversity and resilience. On Friday, he set the benchmark by topping both free practice sessions. However, a mechanical issue during Saturday’s qualifying forced him to start from last place in Race 1. He responded with an extraordinary recovery drive, climbing through the field to finish fourth — one of the most significant comebacks recorded in the competition.

On Sunday, with no technical setbacks, Monteiro reaffirmed his pace by qualifying second, missing pole position by just four thousandths of a second. In the final race, he remained in the fight for victory throughout and ultimately crossed the line in second place, securing his first podium of the season.

The Spanish Winter Championship continues at Circuito de Jarama in Madrid at the end of February.

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