Thomas Robineau takes it all at Albi !
After a thrilling final round at the Albi circuit, Thomas Robineau was crowned French Champion, ten years after his last title. The driver from Sarthe also takes victory in the Grand Prix, ahead of his great rival Téo Calvet, French Vice-Champion, and Raphaël Sousa, who finished third in the event.
The 2026 FFSA French Truck Racing Championship season ended in spectacular fashion at Albi, host of the sixth and final round of the calendar. It took until the 24th and final race of the season to determine the identity of the French Champion. Right to the very end, Thomas Robineau (#75 – MAN) and Téo Calvet (#20 – Freightliner) engaged in a thrilling duel. Arriving in the Tarn region with a 12-point lead over his rival, Thomas Robineau set the pace throughout the weekend to take it all: victory in the Grand Prix and the 2026 French Championship title, with a 17-point margin over Téo Calvet. The latter concludes an excellent season with the French Vice-Champion title and second place in the GP.
This fourth win of the season, following victories at the Castellet, Nogaro and the 24 Heures Camions at Le Mans, crowns a particularly successful year for the driver from Sarthe. Calvet, meanwhile, has two Grand Prix victories to his name, at Dijon and Magny-Cours. Ten years after his last triumph, Robineau is back at the top of the discipline. Having already won the French Truck Cup three times, in 2014, 2015 and 2016, he now adds a fourth title to his record, but his first as French Champion. A crowning achievement for the driver and his entire team.
André and Sousa battle all the way for the podium
While the battle for the title lived up to all expectations, the fight for third place in the championship also delivered its share of suspense. It took until the final race to separate Jonathan André (#44 – MAN) and Raphaël Sousa (#21 – Freightliner). Arriving in Albi with a points advantage over his rival, Jonathan André defended his position perfectly by winning Races 2 and 4, both run using the reverse-grid format. Raphaël Sousa, meanwhile, relied on consistency to secure third place in the Grand-Prix Camions d’Albi. However, it was not enough to turn the overall standings around. Jonathan André therefore secures third place on the championship podium, ahead of Raphaël Sousa, who finishes fourth.
Suspense at every level
Behind the leading quartet, the battle also remained tight between Lionel Montagne (#40 – Renault Trucks), Anthony Robineau (#8 – MAN) and Ivan Rodrigues (#94 – MAN). Although Anthony Robineau gained the upper hand at Albi by finishing fifth in the Grand Prix, just ahead of Lionel Montagne in sixth, it was the latter who secured his place in the championship’s top five. Anthony Robineau ultimately finishes the season in sixth place, ahead of Ivan Rodrigues in seventh.
Aurélien Hergott (#10 – DAF) came into the Albi finale with a comfortable lead to protect his eighth place in the championship. His ninth-place finish in the Grand Prix confirmed this position, although his season had much more to offer. The highlight will undoubtedly remain his prestigious victory in Race 4 of the 24 Heures Camions at Le Mans. It was his first career win, achieved nine years after his debut in the discipline.
Yorick Montagne (#24 – Renault Trucks) finished the season in style! Having missed Magny-Cours, he returned to competition at Le Mans for a rather difficult weekend. At Albi, the Aravi driver bounced back brilliantly, reaching the podium twice in the final two races, finishing third and then second. This strong performance earned him seventh place in the Grand Prix and allowed him to finish the championship ninth overall.
A disappointing weekend for Bernard
José Sousa (#22 – Freightliner) snatches tenth place in the championship, but the overall result is inevitably disappointing for a driver who made headlines by finishing third in 2025. Having placed only 12th in the Grand Prix at Albi, he also benefited from problems affecting some of his rivals to remain in the final top 10. Consistency, one of his greatest strengths the previous season, was sorely lacking in 2026.
Matthieu Bernard (#89 – MAN), on the other hand, seemed assured of a place in the championship’s top 10 before arriving in Albi, where he stood ninth in the overall standings. However, mechanical problems forced him to miss all four races over the weekend. Four races without points proved costly when the final standings were calculated! He ultimately drops to 12th in the championship, behind José Sousa in tenth and Lucas Rivals (#15 – Renault Trucks), who moves into 11th place.
Junior Champion
With a tenth-place finish in the Grand Prix at Albi, just ahead of his brother Romain (#17 – Renault Trucks), Lucas Rivals (#15 – Renault Trucks) achieved an even greater feat by claiming the French Junior Championship title. The drivers from Albi, eager to shine in front of their home crowd, therefore ended their season on a high note.
In the overall standings, Romain Rivals finishes 13th, ahead of Antoine Languillat (#31 – IVECO), who enjoyed an excellent season with his new team. Guillaume Machecourt (#58 – MAN) completes the top 15. Behind the wheel of an all-new truck, he established himself as one of the revelations of the year, despite competing in only his second season in the category.
Congratulations also to all the other drivers who provided spectacular racing throughout the season! And, of course, a big thank you to the fans, who turned out in large numbers at the circuits this year, with 225,000 spectators in total.
See you in 2027 for a new season !
