Mister Phoenix clinches O'Play prototype title at Buzet hillclimb

Mister Phoenix secured the 2026 O'Play European Championship prototype crown with a dominant fifth season victory at the 45th Buzetski Dani hillclimb in Croatia on 21 September. Piloting a Nova Proto NP03 for CR Corse in the P3 class, the driver sealed the title in emphatic fashion, capping a campaign that saw him win five rounds and finish on the podium in nine of ten continental events.

Phoenix accumulated 197 points across the season, with his worst result a third-place finish at Saint Ursanne in Switzerland. His record comprised five victories (Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, Croatia) and four second-place finishes (Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovenia). The majority of the season was contested in the P3 class against stronger competition, though the driver spent much of the campaign racing in P2 before finally competing in the correct P3 category for the final round.

The Buzetski Dani victory also provided CR Corse an opportunity to test various setup configurations on the motorcycle-derived engine prototype. Phoenix expressed satisfaction with the campaign: "I'm delighted—everything went perfectly. My energy is spent now and I just want to savour being at the top. I'm grateful to everyone who helped me reach this milestone. It's an immense satisfaction that I feel is shared by the whole team. Looking back, I'm proud of what we've achieved, but I'm already looking ahead to the next challenge. My journey is far from over."