The third season of the F4 CEZ Academy has concluded, with Switzerland’s Thomas Schmid emerging as the overall winner while also securing the Twingo Cup title. His performances have earned him the opportunity to compete in the 2027 F4 CEZ Championship at a significantly reduced cost.
The 2026 season was the most comprehensive in the F4 CEZ Academy’s history to date. Following an initial winter preparation programme, the focus shifted to the race track, with participants contesting four rounds of the Twingo Cup at Grobnik, the Salzburgring, Autodrom Most and the Slovakia Ring.
Alongside the racing itself, the drivers continued their development throughout each weekend under the guidance of experienced coaches. The programme included simulator work, physical and mental preparation, media training and a range of other disciplines that have become an essential part of developing a modern professional racing driver.
The opening Twingo Cup round at Grobnik immediately produced some remarkably close racing. Oliver Šteiner ultimately won both races at the Croatian circuit, before Martin Toth took centre stage at the Salzburgring.
Thomas Schmid dominated proceedings at Most and added another victory at the Slovakia Ring, while Italian driver Giacomo Pegazzano claimed the second race at the Slovakian venue.
Martin Toth also provided a clear example of how a driver can progress into higher categories of motorsport during the course of a season. After the Salzburgring round, he stepped up to the considerably more powerful Renault Clio and handled the transition impressively. On his very first appearance in the car at Autodrom Most, he finished fourth overall.
Not just for young drivers
The F4 CEZ Academy is open to drivers of all ages. Formula 1 commentator Pavel Fabry is one example, regularly putting himself in contention for podium finishes during the season.
Fabry also became a co-founder of the 20th Century Cup, a category created for novice racing drivers aged 35 and over. The examples of Ivana Švikovská, Sylvie Jablonská and Lukáš Schmied further demonstrate that a racing debut can come at almost any age.
Max Karhan sets the benchmark
F4 CEZ driver and F4 CEZ Academy coach Max Karhan also climbed behind the wheel of a Renault Twingo for the season finale at the Slovakia Ring, giving the Academy drivers a valuable opportunity to measure themselves directly against a current F4 CEZ competitor.
The result left little doubt about the benchmark: Karhan took pole position before crossing the finish line first in both races.
Formula 4 testing and a discounted F4 CEZ season
The highest-scoring Academy driver at each Twingo Cup race weekend automatically earned the opportunity to test a Formula 4 car.
Oliver Šteiner secured the prize at Grobnik, Martin Toth at the Salzburgring, and Thomas Schmid at both Most and the Slovakia Ring. Schmid was also crowned the overall winner of the third F4 CEZ Academy season and, in addition to his F4 test, earned a 50% discount on a full 2027 season in the F4 CEZ Championship.
The Academy’s overall classification was not based on outright speed alone. Just as during the preparatory phase of the programme, drivers were also assessed on the broader range of skills required to succeed as a professional racing driver.
2027 grid already beginning to fill
Perhaps the clearest indication of the programme’s success came before the final race of the season had even taken place. Interest from prospective drivers for 2027 was already growing during the Autodrom Most weekend, with available places for next season gradually beginning to fill.
The F4 CEZ Academy will enter its fourth edition later this year, continuing to help ambitious drivers pursue their racing goals regardless of their age or previous experience.
That remains one of the Academy’s core principles. Applicants do not need to arrive with several years of karting behind them. Instead, the programme is designed to guide drivers step by step, taking them from the fundamentals of racing all the way to competing on European circuits.
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