At the dawn of its twelfth season, the French Historical Circuit Championship is preparing to reach an important milestone. For 2026, the discipline continues its transformation with several structuring adjustments, designed for drivers, teams and the public.
Integration of new single-seaters, evolution of endurance titles and overhaul of the sprint grids: several changes have been announced for the twelfth season of the French Historic Circuit Championship. First major development, the official integration of the Formula Renault Classic into the French Historic Circuits Championship. From this year, drivers entered in Formula Renault Historic as well as in category A will be able to score points in the “Single-seater” classification of the championship. The calculation will be made on the basis of the general classification of each race, without distinction of division or class, thus reinforcing the sporting coherence of the whole.
This decision highlights single-seaters which have marked the history of motorsport and served as a springboard for numerous champions. It is also part of a clear desire to return to basics, by promoting emblematic cars, built and entered in official competition before the end of 2009. The categories are clearly defined, from the oldest Renault Formulas to invited single-seaters, guaranteeing a precise and readable regulatory framework for all competitors.
Endurance in the spotlight with three titles dedicated to the 200 KM
Second strong axis of this 2026 evolution: endurance takes an even more structuring place in the championship. After more than ten years of existence, the Historic Tour is enriching its list of achievements by increasing the total number of titles awarded from four to six, with now three crowns specifically awarded to the 200-kilometer events.
These new titles will distinguish prototypes of less than three liters, sedans and GTs from before 1990, as well as those entered after this date. The objective is clear: to offer greater sporting fairness and increase the stakes throughout the season. By segmenting performances by large families of vehicles, the championship reinforces the sporting interest of endurance while guaranteeing more balanced confrontations on the track.
Two new sprint platforms to breathe new life into GT and Touring
Finally, the GT/Pre 90 Touring category will undergo a profound overhaul this year with the appearance of two new Sprint Series grids, organized by historical period and no longer by power level. This development, the result of numerous discussions with the drivers, marks a return to the essence of historic motorsport.
The Sprint Series Pre 66 field will bring together the Sedans and GTs approved before the end of 1965, now united on a single grid. Two race formats will be offered at the same meeting, mixing sprint and long race, the latter offering an additional challenge with a double points scale. Continuing on, the Pre 81 Sprint Series will bring together the cars approved before the end of 1980, with two sprint races per event.
Designed to strengthen sporting fairness and readability for the public, these new grids should restore intensity to trophies in search of renewal. By combining historical fidelity and modernization of the format, the French Historical Circuit Championship confirms, in 2026, its desire to remain an essential event in French motorsport.
