Kean Nakamura-Berta is coming to FREC for the 2026 season

The FREC grid had been gradually filling out in recent weeks, but one name was still missing. It was widely expected that Kean Nakamura-Berta would be on the grid, but the question remained: with which team? The obvious choice would be Prema, the team he has ridden for since 2023. Especially since the Japanese-Slovakian driver had also been competing with the Italian outfit during FREC preseason testing. But the announcement was delayed, finally arriving just days before the season opener scheduled for Spielberg, Austria, from April 24th to 26th. Prema finally confirmed the news on Monday, April 13th. “We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Kean,” Stephen Mitas, team principal and CEO, is delighted. "Together, we have already achieved resounding success, and it is only natural to capitalize on this momentum at the dawn of this new era of the European Formula Regional Championship."

Indeed, the beginning of the story between Kean Nakamura-Berta and Prema was crowned with success, particularly during a superb 2025 season. The 18-year-old driver secured the Italian F4 and E4 titles, all after finishing 3rd in the Middle East F4 championship earlier that year with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited. With the Indian team, he tried his luck again in another Gulf championship at the start of 2026: the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy, a championship he won by 12 points over the junior driver. Mercedes Benz Rashid Al-Dhaheri, whom he will meet again in FREC this season. "His victory at the Middle East Trophy laid an excellent foundation, and we are confident in his ability to maintain this level of performance during the European season." assures Stephen Mitas. "Although we anticipate very tough competition, we are confident that we have a strong team and Kean remains a major asset to our program."

🚨DRIVER ANNOUNCEMENT🚨

Nakamura-Berta moves up to FIA FREC with PREMA 🇯🇵🇸🇰

📰 Longstanding team-driver partnership begins its next chapter ⤵️https://t.co/1RuBMHbQo8#PREMAnnouncement #FIAFREC pic.twitter.com/Tgmh7SuyMr

- PREMA (@PREMA_Team) April 13, 2026

"I am delighted to be reunited with the Prema family for 2026, this time within the FREC team."the young man appreciates“I am also excited about joining the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy and to represent their team. This new year promises to be full of challenges, but I have great confidence in the team and I can't wait to start the season. Signed by Williams in 2025, Kean Nakamura-Berta is one of the great hopes of the car Internationally, he seems destined for a bright future if he confirms the promising signs he showed last year. While his announcement at Prema was delayed, he completes the Italian team's trio alongside Salim Hanna and Tomass Stolcermanis. The Latvian is also a last-minute signing. who replaces Sebastian Wheldon, son of Dan, who turned his back on Prema following the financial difficulties of the former Rosin family team, to go to MP Motorsport.

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