The Debrief: 2026 F1 Sim Racing World Championship, Event 01 – A podium and points for Aston Martin Aramco

Aston Martin Aramco Esports Team made a strong return to F1 Sim Racing competition at the opening event of the 2026 season, held at DreamHack Birmingham's NEC.

Across three races, all drivers scored points, including a dramatic podium on Sunday, marking a positive start to the campaign.

Read on for a full breakdown of how Event One unfolded, and for the thoughts and reaction of our three drivers.

China

The season began in Shanghai, where the team secured points despite a challenging race.

Ruben Pedreño qualified P17, while teammate Duncan Hofland lined up in P10. Both drivers opted to start on the Hard compound before switching to Mediums in an action-packed race.

Hofland finished in P9. Pedreño ultimately finished in P16 after a tough opening round.

Japan

Saturday's action at Suzuka brought changeable conditions and a lively Dreamhack atmosphere, with heavy rain transitioning into lighter conditions during Qualifying.

Pedreño bounced back strongly, qualifying P7, while Jan Haladej impressed on debut by progressing through Q1 and securing P13 in a chaotic session.

In the race, Pedreño delivered a composed drive to finish P6, while Haladej marked his first F1 Sim Racing World Championship start with a points finish in P9. It was a valuable double-points result for the team and a clear step forward in momentum.

Bahrain

The final race of the event in Bahrain proved to be highly competitive under the lights. Hofland narrowly missed out on Q3 by just 0.034 seconds, while Pedreño qualified P7, less than a tenth off pole position in an incredibly tight session.

Pedreño adopted an aggressive strategy, starting on Soft tyres and climbing to P4 by lap two before pitting on lap nine. Hofland made early progress on the Medium compound, moving into the points before sustaining damage that compromised his race.

Despite the chaos, Pedreño executed a clean and controlled race, avoiding incidents and penalties to secure a podium finish in P3 following penalties after the chequered flag.

It was an extremely positive opening event for Aston Martin Aramco Esports, with all drivers scoring points and strong signs of progress across the weekend. The team will look to build on this momentum heading into Event Two.

#26 | Duncan Hofland

"After the first event at Dreamhack, there are definitely positives. I'm happy with my qualifying performance compared to last year, and there have been improvements in getting myself further up the order at the start.

"Unfortunately, I made a mistake in Bahrain and picked up damage. It could have been avoided on my side, but we'll learn from it and come back stronger in Event Two. I'm also very proud of the team, especially Ruben, for securing the podium."

#88 | Jan Haladej

"My first race for Aston Martin Aramco Esports in Japan and my first points. I couldn't be happier. After qualifying P13, we made a strong strategy call, and with penalties, we managed to finish in the points.

"I kept it clean, stayed calm and focused, and even defended from three-time champion Jarno Opmeer, which was a great experience. I'm over the moon and hope to carry this momentum into the next events."

#93 | Ruben Pedreño

"Three races and a podium to finish. It’s been a great event overall. I wasn't too happy with my performance in China, but we bounced back well.

"Suzuka was tricky with the conditions. I wasn't fully satisfied with the lap, but P7 in Qualifying gave us a solid base, and we managed P6 in the race with strong management.

"In Bahrain, we knew we had the pace. After qualifying P7 in a very tight session, we committed to a bold strategy. I worked closely with my engineer, Axel, managing tyres and defending throughout the race.

"With some incidents and a bit of luck, we secured P3. It's a fantastic result for the team, with all of us scoring points. I'm really happy and motivated to keep building from here."

Up next

Event Two of the season with three more rounds on 22-23 April.

The championship moves from Birmingham to Biggin Hill and Formula One's Media & Technology Centre – with races in Saudi Arabia, Barcelona, and Silverstone.