Paul Jouffreau grabs a record third Junior Trophy title with his sweep in the 2026 Finals – With three consecutive Trophy crowns and a record-tying 18 class wins, the Frenchman is setting the benchmark for future young talents
- Paul Jouffreau came from behind to defend his Junior Trophy crown
- Two Finals wins secured the Frenchman’s unprecedented third consecutive Junior Trophy title
- Jouffreau also grabs his 18th Trophy win, putting him level with Gianmarco Ercoli for the most class victories
Paul Jouffreau had a mountain to climb when he turned on the keys of his #3 RDV Competition Ford Mustang for the 2026 NASCAR Euro Series Finals. Not only was he seventh in the overall standings entering the decider at Circuit Zolder, he was also at a risk of losing the Junior Trophy crown that he won in 2024 and 2025. The Frenchman was third in the Junior Trophy rankings behind Thomas Krasonis and Garrett Lowe, and he needed a magical run to overcome his deficits. The Blaye native did just that: With two overall wins, Jouffreau turned his fortunes around and ended his year with a record third consecutive title, confirming his status as the most successful elite youngster in V8GP.
Jouffreau’s fortunes had been turbulent in 2026, with three retirements limiting the gains that he got from his two overall wins at Paul Ricard and Brands Hatch. He therefore had to chase the trails left behind by his Junior Trophy rivals, a difficult situation for a frontrunner like Jouffreau. By the time the Finals rolled out, the Frenchman still had to overcome a 19 point deficit from Krasonis, who took the lead from regular season Trophy leader Lowe at the start of the Playoffs in Italy.
Destiny, however, is in Jouffreau’s hands: If he took the weekend sweep, the 22-year old will gain 20 points on both Krasonis and Lowe. This points swing can not be overcome by his rivals and he put one step to achieve this goal when he led Lowe to the checkered flag in V8GP Final 1. Lowe again put the pressure on Jouffreau in V8GP Final 2, but when the American dropped out of contention with mechanical issues, the RDV Competition driver’s chances increased exponentially.
A fast charging Vinnie Meskelis, eager to score his first Trophy and overall win in V8GP, threatened to deny Jouffreau at the last possible moment, but the Frenchman survived by the skin of his teeth and crossed the finish line in first place to secure his third Junior Trophy crown. It was the 22-year old’s fourth overall win of the season, and the 10th of his career. This victory also gave Jouffreau his 18th Junior Trophy win, putting the Blaye native level with Gianmarco Ercoli for the most victories in the special classification for drivers aged 25 and under.
With 480 points, Jouffreau ended his campaign with a 27 point advantage from Krasonis while Lowe’s issues dropped the BS+BREMOTION driver down to third, 38 points behind the Frenchman. Vinnie Meskelis’ maiden overall podium came at a right time: The American-Brazilian grabs fourth away from Jack Davidson to complete the special classification top-5. Julien Rehberg, who did not take part in the Playoffs, rounded out the overall rankings.
Three consecutive Junior Trophy titles, 18 Junior Trophy wins, 10 overall V8GP wins and his second championship runner-up finish: That is the achievements that Paul Jouffreau has achieved in the top division of the NASCAR Euro Series at just 22-years old. No other young talent has gotten as much accolades as Blaye’s racing hero did and it remains to be seen if this benchmark is going to be pushed even further in the 2027 season. For now, Jouffreau will enjoy the celebrations and he will also be invited to the NASCAR Awards as both the Junior Trophy winner and the 2026 V8GP runner-up finisher.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
