The FEBO Nieuwjaarsrace 2026 marked the return of one of Dutch motorsport’s traditional openers after a three-year absence, held in cold winter conditions at Circuit Zandvoort. Run for the first time as the season opener of the Supercar Challenge, the four-hour race was decided late on with victory ultimately going to Koopman Racing, with Cees Wijsman and Mex Jansen prevailing in their BMW M6 GT3.

Qualifying sets the tone

Qualifying produced an immediate talking point. Oscar Gräper secured pole position in the Dekker Racing Porsche 992 Cup, edging out Mex Jansen in the Koopman Racing BMW M6 GT3. The session turned into a tyre gamble: Gräper opted for rain tyres on a damp track, while Jansen committed to slicks, underlining the tricky conditions that would later define the race.

However, the celebrations proved painfully short-lived. On the formation lap, Gräper spun, damaging the car and forcing an immediate retirement in the pit lane before the race had even officially begun.

Late penalty decides the race

In the race, the Speedlover Porsche 992 Cup of Olivier Hart and Bram Bontrup controlled race for much of the afternoon and looked well on course for victory. Koopman Racing, meanwhile, kept constant pressure on the leaders through an aggressive strategy that saw Cees Wijsman hand over to Mex Jansen early. This allowed the young Dutchman, fresh from a breakout 2025 campaign in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance where he secured the Silver Cup title, to run extended, high-pace stints. The decisive moment came late on, when the Porsche was handed a drive-through penalty for a pit lane infringement. Crucially, this came just as Jansen was rapidly closing in, turning a looming on-track showdown into a last-minute grab for the win by the BMW crew.

Strong Koopman Racing presence on the podium

Behind the winning BMW M6 GT3 of Wijsman and Jansen, Hart and Bontrup finished second after the penalty, while Koopman Racing underlined its strength in depth by also securing third place with another BMW M6 GT3, driven by Daan Meijer and Bob Herber. Wessel Sandkuijl and GT3 debutant Marlon Birdsall finished fourth in the third Koopman Racing BMW after a post-race penalty for speeding in the pits dropped them off the podium. With the BMW of Meijer and Herber also leading at various points, the Nieuwjaarsrace capped a dominant overall showing for the sole GT3 team on the grid.

Class winners

Father-and-son duo Dennis and Steff de Borst took Division 2 victory in their Hyundai Elantra TCR with fifth overall, MDM Motorsport’s BMW M240i DayVtec of Marth de Graaf and Alex Green secured a hard-fought Division 3 win, and late penalties reshaped the outcome in Division 4, handing the win to Henk Vuik Jr. en Luuk Vuik in the Vuik Motorsport Mazda MX-5. Division 5 was decided by attrition, with the BMW 130i of MV Motorsport’s Arie Roseboom and Jenson de Leeuw emerging on top.

A new chapter for the series

Beyond the results, the Nieuwjaarsrace also marked the start of a new era for the Supercar Challenge. The 2026 season is the first under new leadership, with former GT4 driver Max Braams taking over from series founder Dick van Elk following the championship’s 25th season in 2025.

Supercar Challenge action returns in April with the second of three visits to Circuit Zandvoort at the Voorjaarsraces, the traditional spring races at the North Sea race track.