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Tatuus and Ligier Advanced Technologies have presented new cars built to the second-generation Formula Regional regulations that will debut in 2026.
The two companies are currently finalising the homologation of their vehicles, which will produce around 280bhp in race trim.
Formula Regional was established in 2018 but new regulations have been written for 2026, aimed at improving safety and better aligning the cars with others in the F1 development ladder.
The global category, which is split up into regional championships, sits between Formula 3 and Formula 4 on the FIA’s single seater ladder.
The Tatuus T-326, which was unveiled on Friday, is set to appear in the FIA Formula Regional European Championship, but will debut in the Middle East Championship which takes place in January.
It has been developed with a 1.6-litre, inline-three ATM163T engine derived from the Toyota GR Yaris and tuned by Autotecnica Motori.
Tatuus says the T-326 is ‘lighter, more stable, and more responsive’ than its first-generation predecessor introduced in 2019.
It has been built to updated FIA safety regulations, which include new survival cell sidewall protection requirements.
The car underwent its first track test in early August and has completed around 5000km since then. It was revealed to current FREC teams during the 2025 season finale at Monza.
‘Tatuus and ATM have been part of the FIA Formula Regional story since day one,’ says Giovanni Delfino, CEO of Tatuus and Autotecnica.
‘We are proud to continue this journey through a car that reflects our Group’s technical synergy and engineering capabilities, representing a tangible step forward.
‘Just like the T-318 was the launchpad for many world class drivers, we are confident the new Tatuus T-326 will be the training ground for tomorrow’s racing stars.’
Ligier, meanwhile, introduced its second-generation Formula Regional car earlier in October.
The JS F326 is the first car to be built under the Ligier Advanced Technologies brand, which was created when Ligier acquired French single-seater constructor Mygale earlier this year.
Ligier says its new car achieves the ‘optimal balance of aerodynamics, performance and accessibility’.
One of the highlights is a 50kg weight reduction in the carbon chassis compared to the company’s first-gen car, bringing the overall chassis weight down to 575kg.
The Ligier’s development has been carried out with a 2.0-litre turbocharged Aurobay / Horse Powertrain unit.
It uses the same Sadev six-speed transmission as the Tatuus, although the two cars likely won’t meet on track, due to each Formula Regional series having a single chassis supplier.
Both also have aerodynamic profiles that follow the FIA’s framework to reduce the amount of dirty air created and make it easier for cars to follow each other.
The smoother nose design and new rear wing are part of the FIA’s adjustments to its aerodynamic concept.
All Formula Regional cars will run on Pirelli tyres, with the category adopting the Italian company as its single, global supplier from 2026.
New rules have also been implemented to balance out the different statures of young drivers who compete in Formula Regional, through the addition of a maximum braking force and a steering torque gradient limit.
Racecar Engineering is the world’s leading publication for motorsport technology and engineering. Every issue provides unrivalled technical analysis of everything from World Championship series including Formula 1, to grass roots racing. Using the expertise of industry professionals, we look in detail at racecar design and innovation, whilst also keeping you up to date with news and developments from all the major race series across the globe.
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