Rodin Motorsport have confirmed their second driver for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season, with Callum Voisin re-signing with the team for next year.
The British driver completed his rookie campaign in the Championship this year, securing a maiden victory in the Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race, along with a pole position and one further podium, as well as six top 10 finishes in total.
Prior to Formula 3, Voisin won the GB3 Championship in 2023 and also competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2021 where he finished sixth.
He joins the previously announced Louis Sharp as a confirmed Rodin driver for 2025.
I am absolutely delighted to be teaming with Rodin Motorsport once again for the 2025 FIA F3 season. It will be my fourth year in this team so it really does feel like a second home. We made a huge amount of progress last year including winning and taking pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix last year. Going into my second season of F3 there is only one goal in mind and I will give it everything to make sure we achieve that. I would like to thank RDA UK and Edge Management for their continued support, As well as Rodin Motorsport for once again putting their trust in me. Voisin on the news.
We are so pleased to have Callum back with the team for another season. This will be his fourth season as part of the wider Rodin Motorsport family and we are really looking forward to continuing to work with Callum and his team. Having that continuity will be a great help in getting used to this new F3 chassis and I have no doubt that he’ll be a strong contender for this upcoming season. Sam Waple, Rodin Motorsport F3 Team Manager.
MP Motorsport have confirmed their second driver for next season, with Bruno Del Pino joining the Dutch team for the 2025 season.
Del Pino took part in post-season testing for the team, finishing the second test in Barcelona seventh overall and as the lead MP driver. He joins Tim Tramnnitz as being confirmed for the 2025 season.
Del Pino raced for MP in the Eurocup-3 series for the past two years and is currently third in the Standings with seven race victories to his name along with one pole position and three fastest laps.
Speaking about his promotion to F3 with the team, Del Pino said he was very excited to get started on a new challenge.
It’s fantastic news that I’m graduating to Formula 3, and it couldn’t be with a better team than MP Motorsport. In my two years with the team, they have made me feel at home in an environment that has helped me to get the best out of myself. It was wonderful to bag our first wins together this season, and it’s with these positive conditions that we will continue our successful collaboration, as we embark on a fresh challenge in F3. Del Pino on the news.
I’m delighted to welcome Bruno in our in our 2025 FIA F3 line-up to partner Tim. Bruno deciding to stay us is testament to the family atmosphere at MP, and further proof of our motto of accelerating talent. This year, he has been a revelation in Eurocup-3, and it’s our goal to transfer that form to the new F3 car for 2025. In the process, Bruno has shown that Eurocup-3 is a viable route into Formula 3, where I’m certain he will flourish. MP Motorsport Team Principal, Sander Dorsman.
DAMS Lucas Oil have confirmed that Matias Zagazeta will drive for the team in what will be the team’s maiden campaign in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
The Peruvian driver completed his rookie season in F3 this year, achieving a best result of P3 in the Silverstone Sprint Race.
Prior to his step up to F3, Zagazeta competed in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine and the British F4 Championship in 2021, where he finished as runner-up in the Standings.
Speaking about his move for 2025, Zagazeta said that he was excited to join a team with so much success for the new era of F3.
I’m very happy to join a team with such a rich history in motorsport, which has been a leading outfit in Formula 2 for several years. It’s a new environment for everyone in the series with the updated car, but I hope that my knowledge will help us to achieve great results together. Zagazeta on his news.
After the testing days in Spain earlier this month we’re thrilled to confirm Matías for the 2025 season. It was always important for us to have a driver with experience in the Championship. We’re hopeful that Matías can provide us with a great insight along with our team’s proven methods that have served us well in recent years, helping us to start our F3 journey as best we can. DAMS Team Owner, Charles Pic.
MP Motorsport have confirmed their first driver signing for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season with Tim Tramnitz set to race for the team in what will be his second campaign in the Championship.
Tramnitz stepped up to Formula 3 last year after an impressive 2023 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, in which he finished third in the Standings.
He then made a bright start to his rookie campaign this year with MP, where he finished third at the season-opener Sakhir Feature Race.
The Red Bull Academy driver prospect went on to achieve three more podiums in 2024, which includes a maiden victory at the final Sprint Race of the year in Monza. He ended up finishing the season ninth in the Standings with 81 points and following the confirmation of his return with MP, is already eyeing more success in 2025.
I’m very pleased to continue with MP Motorsport for my second year in Formula 3. My rookie season contained many highlights, including my first F3 victory, and now our goal must be to improve our consistency and add more wins to our tally. The team and I have managed to create a strong relationship in 2024, and I’m looking forward to use that as a platform for more success in 2025, getting as much out of the new car as we can. Tramnitz on the news.
It’s wonderful that Tim has decided to stay with us for another go at the FIA Formula 3 Championship. I’m happy to know that he has found a true home at MP, and we will continue to provide the family atmosphere in which our drivers revel and thrive. This year, Tim has had a fantastic rookie season in F3 and we aim to build on that for 2025. It’s our plan to be frontrunners at every race. Sander Dorsman, MP Motorsport Team Principal.
Noel Leon will be moving to PREMA Racing for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season, the Italian team has confirmed.
The Mexican driver completed his rookie campaign this year with Van Amersfoort Racing and managed to earn four podiums and a further seven top 10 finishes across the year.
Prior to his step up to F3, Leon achieved the 2019/20 NACAM Formula 4 Championship title and the 2021 US F4 Championship the following year. He then went on to race in the Formula Regional European Championship in 2022, where he scored 3 points.
In 2023, Leon took part in the Euroformula Open Championship where he won the title. He grabbed 7 wins, 5 poles and 394 points.
Leon recently took part in post-season testing with PREMA at Jerez, achieving the 12th fastest time across the two-day event in Spain.
I am super happy and proud to join PREMA Racing for my second FIA Formula 3 season. I’m very thankful for their trust, and I can’t wait to start working with the team and prepare for the season. I will give my absolute best to fight for both championships. Leon on the news.
Noel put up some impressive showings this year, and we are happy to welcome him for the season. He has valuable experience in the series and great room for further improvement. Having already worked together in the Jerez test, we think he will be a good fit within our team, and we look forward to continuing the work. Rene Rosin, PREMA Racing Team Principal.
ART Grand Prix have confirmed that James Wharton will drive for the team next season in FIA Formula 3, completing the French outfit’s 2025 line-up.
The Australian took part in post-season testing with the team in Jerez, while he is active in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, where he currently sits second in the Standings.
Previously, Wharton achieved top five finishes in the UAE Formula 4, Italian and ADAC Formula 4 Championships in 2022, and went on to claim the UAE F4 title in 2023.
He was also runner-up in Euro 4 in 2023 aswell, looking to this season currently he has taken four wins, five poles and eight podiums in FRECA.
It won’t be Wharton’s first time in a Formula 3 car as he made his FIA F3 debut at Silverstone in July, where he raced for Hitech Pulse-Eight.
I can’t thank ART Grand Prix enough for this incredible opportunity. This is undoubtedly the most significant step in my racing career so far, and I deeply appreciate the trust they’ve placed in me and my potential. I’m eager to start working with one of the most prestigious teams on the grid, and we’ll put in the hard work this winter to be fully prepared when the season kicks off. Wharton on the news.
We are very pleased to welcome James Wharton to ART Grand Prix for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship. James has shown impressive results in FRECA, currently sitting in second place in the standings, and we believe he has all the qualities to succeed in Formula 3. His performance this season has been outstanding, and we are confident that he will be a strong contributor to the team as we move forward. Sebastien Philippe, ART Grand Prix Team Principal.
The FIA Formula 3 Championship promoters are pleased to confirm the ten teams that have been selected for the 2025 -2027 seasons.
For the next three-year cycle, nine teams who completed in the 2024 season have been retained, while newcomers DAMS complete the F3 grid. Each team will enter three cars as usual, making it a 30 car field.
Below is the teams for the 2025 – 2027 FIA Formula 3 Championship seasons:
Teams
License
AIX Racing
Germany
ART Grand Prix
France
Campos Racing
Spain
DAMS
France
HiTech Grand Prix
Great Britain
MP Motorsport
Netherlands
PREMA Racing
Italy
Rodin Motorsport
New Zealand
Trident
Italy
Van Amersfoort Racing
Netherlands
For the next three-year cycle, we have retained nine of our current teams. Their level of professionalism and expertise guarantee the best preparation for the young drivers who aspire to progress to the highest levels of motorsport. To complete the grid, we welcome DAMS to the list of selected teams. We know them very well from the FIA Formula 2 Championship. Their pedigree and level of performance make them the perfect addition to the F3 field. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andreas Jenzer and everyone at Jenzer Motorsport for their commitment to Formula 3 since the beginning of the category. They have left their mark in the Championship, and I completely respect their decision to focus now on new challenges. FIA Formula 3 CEO, Bruno Michel.
Trident have become the first team to finalise their 2025 Formula 3 line-up as they have announced that Rafael Camara would be racing for them next season.
Camara makes the step up to F3 after a title winning campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship, where he has recorded 10 podiums which includes six victories.
Prior to that, the Brazilian driver had several title successes in karting before graduating to single seater racing in 2022. That year, he finished second in the Formula 4 UAE Championship and third in both the Italian F4 and ADAC F4 categories.
In 2023, he finished third in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and fifth in his rookie Formula Regional European campagin. He then returned to both categories this year, and after finishing third in this year’s Formula Regional Middle East Championship, the Scuderia Ferrari junior went on to win the FRECA title.
I’m very happy to join Trident, it is such a great Team and it’s very nice to be part of it. I can’t wait to start working with everyone and see what we can achieve together. Of course the expectations are high, I think next year we will for sure be targeting to fight for the championship. I know it will not be easy and we still need to do a lot of work for the moment as it is not only a new car but also a new team, so everything will be new for me. As I said, I can’t wait to start to work. I always want to win but we keep our head down and we do the best we can. My goal is to be prepared for the beginning of the season, to do a good job with the team and do the best I can, always, and be on the top with Trident. Camara on the news.
We are extremely happy and proud to announce that Rafael Câmara will be part of our line-up for the 2025 season. He is an undeniably talented driver, the reigning champion of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, as well as a Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy driver, and we are truly proud to have him with us. Additionally, we are excited to renew our relationship with the FDA program and its drivers. Giacomo Ricci, Trident Team Manager.
ART Grand Prix have confirmed their second driver signing for the 2025 Formula 3 season, with Tuukka Taponen set to race for the French team.
Taponen made the step up to single seater racing after a trophy-laden career in karting and finished second in the 2023 Formula 4 UAE Championship, all thanks to his 10 podiums, which included four victories.
The Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy talent finished fifth in both Italian F4 and Euro 4 categories that same year, before winning the Formula Regional Middle East Championship at the start of this year.
Since then, Taponen has been competing in the Formula Regional European Championship and currently sits third in the standings with four victories.
The Finn has already made his debut with ART this season at the penultimate round in Spa-Francorchamps and is now excited to make the step up full time.
I am really excited about the F3 contract with the ART GP team for the 2025 season. They already showed interest in me in the summer, giving me the opportunity to participate in last season’s FIA F3 Spa competition. The team immediately impressed me both on and off the track and it felt like coming home. ART GP has a long and successful history and I want to be a part of it in the future. ART GP is a familiar team to us Finns. For example, Valtteri Bottas won the championship with ART GP team before moving up to the Formula 1 series. Taponen on the news.
We are very pleased to welcome Tuukka Taponen to the team for 2025. He’s a young driver with great potential, and his performance with us at Spa showed that he has what it takes to succeed. We’re excited to see how he will develop in the new era of Formula 3 and are confident that he will be a strong asset to the team. Sebastien Philippe, Team Principal.
Hitech Pulse-Eight have confirmed that Martinius Stenshorne will be staying with the team for a second season of FIA Formula 3 in 2025.
Stenshorne returns to F3 after a strong rookie campaign in which he achieved one victory in the Melbourne Sprint Race before adding another podium in the Barcelona Sprint. The Norwegian driver ended the season in 18th in the Drivers’ Championship.
Prior to joining Formula 3, Stenshorne finished second in the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, where he achieved five wins and an additional six podiums.
In 2022, Stenshorne competed in the Italian F4 Championship, where he finished the season in seventh place overall, which included two podiums.
The McLaren Development driver will now be returning for a second season, he is keen to help the team challenge on both fronts in 2025.
I’m really happy and excited to be entering my second season of FIA Formula 3 and with Hitech. 2024 was a strong first year in the championship and we achieved some good results that also contributed to the team being able to fight for both titles – something I hope we will see again next season. I’m looking forward to getting down to work with the new car in the new year Stenshorne on the news.
I’m delighted to confirm that Martinius will continue with us for the 2025 campaign. In only his first year on the international stage – one of the most competitive seasons F3 has ever seen – he punctuated his obvious potential with a win in the second round, a podium, and he was regularly in the fight for points. When the field is as tight as it was last season, it can be difficult for strong performances to translate to the standings, but within the team, Martinius’ progress was clear for all to see and I feel confident that he will really make his mark in a second season of F3. Paul Bellringer, Hitech Team Manager.
ART Grand Prix have confirmed that Laurens van Hoepen will be staying with the team for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season, the Dutch driver returned for a second campaign.
The 19 year old enjoyed a strong rookie year with ART, achieving one pole position and three podiums on his way to finishing 13th in the Drivers’ standings.
Prior to his debut F3 campaign, van Hoepen raced in ART colours for two season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, finishing 10th with two podiums in 2023.
He is now getting ready to race with the French team for a fourth consecutive season, and van Hoepen is excited for the challenges that lie ahead.
I’m really excited to continue with ART Grand Prix for the 2025 season. We’ve built a strong foundation together this year, and I feel ready to take on the new challenges that the next era of Formula 3 will bring. The team has been incredible in supporting my development, and I’m confident we can achieve great things together in 2025. Van Hoepen on the news.
We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Laurens Van Hoepen as we enter the exciting new era of Formula 3 in 2025. Laurens has shown great promise and dedication in his debut season with ART, and we believe that together we can achieve even greater success in the coming year. Sebastien Philippe, Team Principal on the news.
Hitech Pulse-Eight have confirmed that Gerrard Xie will be driving for them in FIA Formula 3 next year, becoming their first signing for the 2025 season.
Xie stepped up to single seater racing from karting and had instant success by winning the 2022 Chinese F4 Championship with 13 victories in 14 races. That same he year he also won the Formula Renault Super Challenge and finished second in the Macau Grand Prix.
In 2023, he competed in GB3 Championship driving for Hillspeed, where he achieved one win after a difficult season. Xie, then returned for a second campaign this year with Hitech, he ended the season seventh in the standings, with three podiums including a win.
I’m thrilled to be making the step up to FIA Formula 3, and to be doing so with Hitech. t’s been a strong season for me and the team in GB3 and I’m proud of everything we achieved together. The results were there but we also had a bit of bad luck along the way that could have brought us even greater success in both title fights. I feel ready and I hope to play a big part in ensuring Hitech’s F3 challenge is as strong as it was this season. Xie on the news.
It is always exciting and rewarding for us to see one of our young drivers progressing through the ranks with Hitech. Gerrard has been ‘there’ throughout the GB3 Championship season. As well as his impressive victory and podium finishes, he has consistently been in the hunt for many more podiums, and racked up the strong points finishes that secured him seventh in the Drivers’ title and contributed so much to Hitech securing the runner-up spot in the Teams’ battle. Gerrard is ready for Formula 3. I’m confident he will be a significant force within our line-up for next season and we’ll be able to fight for both Championship titles once again. Paul Bellringer, Team Manager.
Trident have announced that Noah Stromsted will be driving in FIA Formula 3 next season – which is their second confirmed signing for the 2025 season.
Stromsted stepped up to single seater racing in 2021 making an instant impact by finishing second in the F4 Danish Championship as a rookie thanks to his nine wins in 11 races.
The 17 year old then competed in six races of the 2022 Spanish F4 Championship, taking pole position once before returning for a full season in 2023, where he ended up seventh in the standings with three podiums.
This year, Stromsted has been competing in the Formula Regional European Championship and he is currently sixth in the standings having achieved one pole position and four podiums.
The Dane also has previous experience in F3, as he was a final round substitute for Campos Racing this year at Monza, taking part in both Sprint and Feature races.
I am very happy to join Trident for my debut season in the 2025 FIA Formula 3. Their success the past years speaks for itself, I will work very hard to be competitive since the beginning of the season and help the team as much as possible with the development of the new car. I would like to thank Trident for their trust and giving me this opportunity, and of course my sponsors, family, coach and management for making this happen. Stromsted on the news.
We are extremely happy to announce Noah Strømsted in our line-up for the 2025 season. We had the opportunity to evaluate the Danish driver both on our test car and on our simulator and we immediately had excellent feedback. Despite being a very young driver, he is already very mature from our point of view. Noah has been the best rookie in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2024. He is a young guy, with great potential and with a great margin for growth. We are really proud to have him on board our team competing in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, and we are convinced that he will be able to be among the key players of the category in his rookie season. Giacomo Ricci, Trident Team Manager.
PREMA Racing have announced the signing of Brando Badoer for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season with the Italian also joining McLaren as a full-time member of their Driver Development programme.
Badoer will graduate to F3 after a strong 2024 campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine where he is currently fifth in the standings with seven podiums.
Not only that, he finished sixth in the 2023 editions of the Formula 4 UAE, Italian F4 and Euro 4 Championships, achieving several podiums across the three categories.
The 18 year old will now step up to Formula 3 with PREMA with the backing on McLaren as he is their recently signed member of the Development Programme, Badoer is excited for what is to come.
I’m really happy to announce that I will be racing with PREMA in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship. Working with all the people here is special, the chemistry is excellent and it makes the work really enjoyable on and off the track. We have had two positive seasons together and I’m looking forward to building on that and I’m sure we will have a good year. Badoer on the news.
Brando is a very interesting prospect, and we are delighted to give him an opportunity for 2025. We have kept an eye on him because we noticed his potential from F4 to FRECA, and we saw him make an impressive step this season. Formula 3 will be challenging, as it usually is, but he has the right attitude to quickly gel with the team and series PREMA Racing Team Principal, Rene Rosin.
We’ve kept a close eye on him over the past year and have been impressed with his performances as a rookie in the competitive Formula Regional championship, so it made sense to exercise our option and bring him into the programme full-time. We look forward to seeing him racing in papaya and supporting his development as he moves to compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing. Stephanie Carlin, Director of F1 Business at McLaren.
Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak is set to return for a second campaign in FIA Formula 3, making the move to Campos Racing for the 2025 season.
The Thai driver spent his rookie year with AIX Racing where he achieved one podium with a second place finish at the Budapest Sprint Race before ending up P24 in the Drivers’ Championship.
It wont be the first time Inthraphuvasak and Campos have linked up, as they have history together with the 18 year old raced for them in 2023 Eurocup-3 season. He managed to grab two pole positions and four podiums on his way to finishing sixth in the standings.
I’m delighted to join Campos racing for the F3 season in 2025. Having been with the team in the past, I’m sure we will work very well together for this upcoming season. It will be my second year in Formula 3 so I will try to use all the experience gathered to deliver the results and I am confident with the team I have behind me that we will have a successful year together. I cant wait to start working with the team and begin the preparations for next year. I would like to thank everyone that has made this possible! Inthraphuvasak on the news.
I want to welcome Tasanapol back to Campos Racing as we reunite, having already worked together in the past. He is a great driver, fast and consistently improving race by race. 2025 is going to be a very demanding year with the new single-seater, but we are building a team of drivers with the experience and talent needed to achieve the results we have set for ourselves. Adrian Campos Jr, Team Principal.
Rodin Motorsport have announced their first driver for the 2025 campaign, that Louis Sharp will step up to FIA Formula 3 with the team.
Sharp and Rodin share a strong history of success together which started back in 2022, when he finished fourth in the British F4 Championship after scoring 12 podium finishes including two victories.
He then went on to continue with them in 2023, this time winning the British F4 Championship thanks to four pole positions, six victories and an additional eight podiums!
Their partnership was once again successful this year with Sharp winning the GB3 Championship, achieving five victories and a further five podiums on his way to winning another title.
I’m obviously excited to be making the next step up to FIA Formula 3 – even more so as I’m back with Rodin Motorsport which has been such an important factor in all my successes to date. Though I’m still coming to terms with what I’ve achieved winning back-to-back titles, I’m already starting to concentrate on what’s ahead. I’m really looking forward to be racing alongside Grands Prix in 2025 and will do everything I can to maintain my current momentum. I’m now looking forward to starting my F3 preparations later this month in Spain and confident both the team and I will be ready when the lights go out in Australia. Sharp on the news moving up.
It is great to have Louis join our Formula 3 effort for 2025, especially off the back of a dominant performance in GB3. Having the new chassis will provide a level playing field for the rookies and Louis has shown throughout his British F4 and GB3 campaigns how quickly he adapts to new cars and tracks. We are really looking forward to working with Louis once again. Sam Waple, Rodin Motorsport Team Manager.
PREMA Racing have confirmed that Ugo Ugochukwu is set to make the step up to FIA Formula 3 with the Italian team next season – which is their first driver signing for the 2025 season.
After a trophy-laden karting career, the McLaren Driver Development programme member graduated to single seater racing in 2022, going on to finish third in the British F4 Championship.
Ugochukwu then had a successful 2023 with PREMA, winning the Euro 4 Championship while he also finished second in Italian F4 and third in the Formula 4 UAE Championships.
He then went on to race with PREMA again this year in the Formula Regional European Championship where he has achieved a podium and numerous points finishes.
Following the announcement, Ugochukwu, who previously took part at all three 2023 post-season tests with Rodin Motorsport, is now looking forward to making the step-up full time.
I’m really happy to announce that I will be racing with PREMA in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship. Working with all the people here is special, the chemistry is excellent and it makes the work really enjoyable on and off the track. We have had two positive seasons together and I’m looking forward to building on that and I’m sure we will have a good year. Ugochukwu on the news.
We enjoyed working with Ugo in the last two years from Formula 4 to Formula Regional, and we think he has great potential. We are convinced that he will be a great fit for FIA Formula 3 next year in terms of approach and driving style. We will soon start preparations and we look forward to helping him make a smooth and successful transition to the new series. Rene Rosin, PREMA Racing Team Principal.
Campos Racing have confirmed Mari Boya as their first driver for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season. The Spaniard will remain with the team for what will be his third campaign in the Championship.
Boya earned his maiden F3 victory this year, achieving P1 on home soil in the Barcelona Sprint Race. He wound up 15th in the Drivers’ Championship, earning nine top 10 finishes across the season.
Prior to his most recent season with Campos, Boya entered FIA F3 in 2023 with MP Motorsport, where he achieved five top 10 finishes and a podium in his rookie campaign.
Looking ahead to next year, Boya said he was very happy to be continuing with Campos Racing in 2025, adding that he was confident after spending a season with the team.
I am excited to face my second season with Campos Racing. After a first year of learning and adaptation, I feel more than ready and eager to contribute to the fullest. We have worked hard as a group and I am confident that together we will achieve our goals by always giving our best in every opportunity that comes our way. Boya on the news.
We are thrilled to have a driver like Mari in our team for another season. Next year will be a tough challenge for everyone, considering the introduction of the new F3 car. Therefore, it will be crucial to have talented and experienced drivers who can help understand and develop the car to achieve results as quickly as possible. We are confident it will be a great season together and we will work towards many more victories with the new racing car. Adrian Campos Jr, Team Principal.
Trident have announced their first driver signing for the 2025 season with Charlie Wurz set to join the Italian outfit ahead of his second campaign in FIA Formula 3.
Wurz spent his rookie F3 campaign with Jenzer Motorsport, scoring a season high P5 in Melbourne Feature Race and finishing 22nd overall in the standings.
Prior to that, the 18 year old completed several title-winning campaigns, earning the 2022 Formula 3 UAE Championship and the 2024 Formula Regional Oceania Championship.
Speaking following the announcement of his move to Trident, Wurz spoke of his excitement at joining the title winning team.
I am really happy to have signed with Trident and to race with the team that has won the last two FIA Formula 3 Championships in 2025. The team’s track record could not be more prestigious. I’ve already developed a great chemistry with the team, as we share the same drive and desire to win. I know I have a lot to learn from them. I am already training for next year and cannot wait to get started. Wurz on the news.
We are thrilled to announce that Austrian driver Charlie Wurz is joining the Trident Motorsport family. Charlie is an intelligent and fast driver. As he embarks on his second year in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, we are confident that he will perform exceptionally well in our colours. We look forward to working with him during the post-season tests. Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager.
The FIA Formula 3 Championship presented the F3 2025 car to the international media in the Formula 1 paddock in Monza on Saturday 31st August.
The design philosophy of this new car, which will be raced in the 2025, 2026 and 2027 F3 seasons, is to give young drivers who aspire to race in Formula 2 and Formula 1 the best opportunity to progress through the pyramid.
The new look of the F3 2025 car is in line with the latest F2 and F1 family, reflecting the same safety, systems and performance at affordable costs. It complies with the latest FIA safety standards and is powered by a bespoke 6-cylinder 3.4 litre naturally aspirated Mechachrome engine, which deliver 380 horsepower at 8000 rpm.
The new car is planned to run on Aramco’s advanced fuel, which is being developed to be compliant with the FIA’s 100% sustainable fuel standard in 2025. This fuel which is also planned to be used in the F2 Championship, is intended as a step forward in the Formula 1 group’s drive to be Net Zero by 2030.
The new car will also be running new Pirelli 16″ tyre which from 2025 will have a natural rubber component certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The F3 2025 car has been designed to boost overtaking capabilities, which will produce exciting on track action and the new cockpit has been designed to improve the ergonomics and driver installation to accommodate a wide range of racers.
The car systems will still include marshalling such as Virtual Safety Car (VSC), an optimised Drag Reduction System (DRS) and a new Marelli Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), identical to the current F2 car.
A first car will be delivered to the teams before the end of December 2024, and the other two cars will be supplied in mid-January 2025. The teams and drivers will first be able to experience the new generation car at the official pre-season tests, in early 2025.
The unveiling of the FIA Formula 3 2025 car marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to developing the next generation of racing talent. This car is more than just a step forward in technology and sustainability; it represents a critical step in the FIA’s single-seater ladder. By aligning closely with FIA Formula 2 and Formula 1 aerodynamics, the new F3 car offers young drivers an essential platform to develop their skills, preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead in the higher categories. In addition to updated safety and performance, we are proud that this new generation of cars integrates cutting-edge technology initiatives aimed at helping to reduce racing carbon emissions, running on advanced fuel that meets the FIA’s 100% sustainable fuel standard, just like Formula 1 from 2026. This demonstrates our commitment to work towards lowering motorsport’s greenhouse gas emissions while driving innovation. Moreover, the enhanced cockpit design reflects our ongoing efforts to make motorsport more inclusive, ensuring that drivers of all physical profiles have the opportunity to compete at the highest level. This new FIA Formula 3 embodies the FIA’s vision of a sport that is progressive, inclusive, and sustainable. FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The F3 Championship continues to deliver exhilarating racing, close title fights and most importantly is a fundamental training ground for future members of the Formula 1 grid. It is important that the next generation of stars can continue to hone their skills in an F3 car designed to help all drivers progress through the motorsport pyramid. This new car also takes a significant step forward in our sustainability journey by running on fuel that meets the FIA’s 100% sustainability fuel standard, an innovation that will come to Formula 1 in 2026. I’m excited to see it on the track in 2025 and I want to pay tribute to the great collaboration between the FIA and our Team, led by Bruno Michel. Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.
I am very pleased to unveil our new F3 car, which will race for the next three seasons. Just like the current F2 car, together with the FIA, we have designed a machine that is challenging, safe, and the perfect tool to prepare young drivers who aspire to race in F1 in the future. The 2025 F3 car has been designed to provide exciting racing, with a lot of overtaking opportunities. We have also worked to ensure this new car fits all types of drivers, taking into account the FIA’s requirements regarding the steering effort. With this in mind, we have enhanced our car’s driveability and comfort to further ensure the new generation car is more inclusive. I’m also very proud of reaching another important milestone in terms of sustainability: thanks to our partner Aramco, the F3 car will run on advanced fuel, meeting the FIA 100% sustainable fuel standard as early as 2025, and several parts of the F3 2025 will use recycled carbon. As always, controlling costs has remained a hot topic when designing the F3 2025, so we have made sure to keep them as low as possible. We have also ensured that this new car can be managed with 11 operational people, as per the Sporting Regulations. Once again, I would like to thank our partners Aramco, Pirelli, Dallara, and Mecachrome, whose expertise and knowhow make this new car the best tool to prepare the F3 drivers on their way to the pinnacle of motorsport. Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 3 CEO.
It was an all-PREMA front row with Beganovic on pole, though it was teammate Mini who made the better start to take the lead into Turn 1.
Just behind them, Tim Tramnitz had gotten ahead of Santiago Ramos for P3, while Arvid Lindblad made a fast start from P27 and was already up to 16th by the end of Lap 1.
But a Safety Car was required with Jenzer Motorsport’s Max Esterson having slowly spun into the barrier at Eau Rouge. The American driver was okay, and the field were back racing at the end of Lap 3.
The battles were well and truly on as Beganovic got ahead of Mini at the end of the Kemmel Straight just after the restart, while Leon took back the P5 spot he had lost to Luke Browning.
Lap 5 and Tramnitz was coming under pressure from Ramos and Leon and while he was able to hold on to P3, Browning was struggling and lost sixth position to Sebastian Montoya having ran wide at Turn 4.
The top six from Beganovic to Montoya were covered by just two and a half seconds as they started lap 9 of 12, with Mini told by his race engineer to keep the pressure on his teammate.
But making the moves was Leon as he got ahead of Ramos for P4 at the end of the Kemmel Straight, with Lindblad now up to 12th after getting past Rodin Motorsport’s Joseph Loake.
DRS had now been made available, as Mini came under pressure from Tramnitz for second. He was able to hold off the MP driver but as they squabbled, it meant Beganovic was able to pull out a one second gap.
As they started the penultimate lap of the race, Mini had closed back in on Beganovic while Tramnitz had fallen into the clutches of Leon. This was playing into the hands of Meguetounif, Browning and Leonardo Fornaroli in seventh, eighth and ninth place, as they close up to the top six.
The final lap started, with Beganovic and Mini having pulled out a two second gap to the rest of the field. But in the battle for the final podium place Leon got ahead of Tramnitz at the Kemmel Straight.
The full top 10 are- P1: Beganovic, P2: Mini, P3: Leon, P4: Tramnitz, P5: Ramos, P6: Browning P7: Montoya, P8: Fornaroli, P9: Goethe and P10: Voisin.
Day 3-
It was a great start from pole-sitter Voisin as he kept hold of the lead, but the big gainer was Montoya as he was up to second from fourth.
Front row starter Alexander Dunne had a slow start and dropped to fourth while Fornaroli maintained third place.
But behind them, there was a huge moment in the title race as Gabriele Mini fell to the back of the field following a collision with Oliver Goethe. The contact left the PREMA Racing driver turned around at the back of the field, while the Campos was forced to pit with a puncture.
As they started lap 2, Voisin locked up heading into Turn 1, with both Montoya and Fornaroli right on the back of his Rodin car. He was able to keep the position, but Noel Leon could not do the same, losing P5 to Sami Meguetounif down the Kemmel Straight.
The Safety Car was then required on Lap 3 when Martinius Stenshorne spun at Stavelot. ART Grand Pric debutant Tuukka Taponen was having his own separate incident coming into the corner as he collided with Joshua Dufek before spinning into the side of the Hitech.
We were back racing on Lap 7 and Voisin had a great restart ahead of Montoya and Fornaroli, while Meguetounif’s charge continued as he overtook Dunne for fourth down the Kemmel Straight. But another Safety Car was soon deployed after Sophia Floersch and Joseph Loake collided and spun off at Turn 9.
The race restarted on Lap 10 of 15 and once again Voisin had a good start, but Dunne was struggling once more, dropping from P5 to P10.
A third Safety Car was needed after Christian Mansell hit the rear of Arvid Lindblad, sending the PREMA Racing driver into the gravel at Turn 9.
At the same time, Charlie Wurz touched the rear right tyre of Mari Boya, giving the Campos Racing driver a puncture, before he went into the barrier at Turn 11. The Austrian was then forced to come into the pit lane to replace a damaged front wing.
Voisin led the pack away on Lap 14 as we returned to green flag conditions, with Montoya and Fornaroli staying behind him. However, Leon dived down the inside of Meguetounif into Turn 7 to take back P4.
Onto the final lap and Voisin had built up a lead of nearly one second as he crossed the line to take the victory, with Montoya in second, while Fornaroli finished third to take the lead of the Drivers’ Championship.
The full top 10 are- P1: Voisin, P2: Montoya, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Leon, P5: Meguetounif, P6: Browning, P7: Esterson, P8: Ramos, P9: Tramnitz and P10: Dunne.
Even without scoring, the result means PREMA Racing take an unassailable lead into the final round in Monza, making them the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Team Champions.
HiTech Pulse-Eight driver Luke Browning left it until the final moments of the session to top the Spa-Francorchamps Free Practice that started with rainy conditions before ending in the dry.
Browning completed a lap of 2:15.570 with his last lap on the slick tyres to finish 0.030s ahead of Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon, with ART Grand Prix driver Christian Mansell in third.
A wet Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps greeted the drivers with Browning the early pacestter on a 2:22.089, putting him 0.683s clear of his ART title rival Mansell in second.
As the drivers rounded the track, they began to find more grip and pace, but no one could quite match Browning’s time with VAR’s Leon going closest.
But the Hitech driver continued to be the benchmark, and later completed a lap of 2:21.310 to improve on his earlier effort, as AIX Racing’s Nikita Bedrin followed him across the line to finish 0.620s off the top time.
With 20 minutes left, the sun had started to come through and the track was drying out. The teams then started sending their drivers out for some exploratory laps on the slicks.
But it wasn’t until the final six minutes that a dry line began to appear with MP Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne using that to great effect to go fastest with 2:20.474.
Times continued to tumble as the track conditions improved with Sebastian Montoya, Santiago Ramos, Leon, Arvid Lindblad, Leonardo Fornaroli and Tramnitz all topping the timesheets within the span of five minutes.
The drivers running was then hampered by a yellow flag in the final sector following Ramos’ spin at the bus stop chicane, while his Trident teammate Sami Meguetounif would run wide at the same corner.
Qualifying-
Rodin Motorsport’s Callum Voisin took his first ever Formula 3 pole position after coming out on top in a frenetic Spa-Francorchamps qualifying session.
The British driver completed a lap of 2:04.321 to beat MP Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne to pole by 0.123s, with Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli taking third place.
But after the first set of laps, it was the ART Grand Prix cars that set the pace, with Laurens van Hoepen completing the early benchmark time of 2:05.507 to lead Mansell by just 0.011s.
Hitech Pulse-Eight chose a different strategy by sending their drivers out early on the second set of tyres, giving them an empty track. However, it did not work for Luke Browning as he ran wide at Pouhon after losing the rear, leaving him down in P18.
His teammate Martinius Stenshorne was one of several to lose their first laps for exceeding track limits but on the latest attempt he went to P11, while Cian Shields jumped to P14.
The Hitech trio ducked into the pitlane while the rest of the field emerged on to the track with 10 minutes to go. But then came the rest with first Sebastian Montoya, then Fornaroli and later Dunne going fastest before Voisin went to the top with a 2:04.321.
However, as the drivers prepared for their final laps there was huge queue heading into the final chicane, meaning that the like of Fornaroli and Leon did not get to the line in time to set off another attempt.
Some drivers did improve in the first sector, but they were so close to each other there were no improvements through the technical middle sector.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Voisin, P2: Dunne, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Montoya, P5: Leon, P6: Esterson, P7: Browning, P8: Meguetounif, P9: Tramnitz and P10: Ramos.
Pole sitter Beganovic covered off Bedrin on the run to Turn 1 but the AIX driver was undeterred and rounded the Swede at Turn 2 to take the lead away. Inthraphuvasak followed in third position ahead of Callum Voisin and Christian Mansell.
The ART Grand Prix driver was under attack though on lap 2 from Tim Tramnitz and his MP Motorsport rival repeated the move of Bedrin into Turn 3 to take P5 from the Australian.
The Virtual Safety Car was then deployed to neutralise the race in order to recover Matias Zagazeta’s car after contact on the opening lap left him on the sidelines.
Back to racing conditions and the top four were covered by less than a second in the lead battle. As the quartet fought, Tramnitz and Mansell joined the train after the opening exchanges, getting to within DRS range by Lap 6.
Onto lap 10 and Beganovic made a late move on Bedrin into Turn 2 but caught the grass on the inside of the corner in the process. It sent his PREMA car sideways and while he was able to catch the slide, it dropped him down to third.
Into the Turn 6 and 7 chicane, Tramnitz squeezed his way alongside Voisin, who skipped across the chicane to keep hold of fourth. The Rodin Motorsport driver was told to concede the place to Tramnitz, seeing off any potential review. One lap later, and Mansell was through on the Brit at Turn 1 for fifth.
Out in front though, Bedrin was in full control after resisting the pressure of Beganovic and crossed the line to earn his first FIA F3 victory, leading home an AIX Racing 1-2 ahead of Inthraphuvasak, a result that means all teams have now stood on the podium in 2024.
The full top 10 are- P1: Bedrin, P2: Inthraphuvasak, P3: Beganovic, P4: Tramnitz, P5: Mansell, P6: Voisin, P7: Fornaroli, P8: Browning, P9: Van Hoepen and P10: Meguetounif.
Day 3-
Van Hoepen got wheelspin in the second phase of the start and had to defend hard from his teammate Tsolov off the line. The Dutch driver ran deep at Turn 1, allowing the Bulgarian through along with VAR’s Noel Leon.
With DRS enabled, Van Hoepen began to close in on Tsolov and was within half a second on lap 3, while Leon dropped to beyond a second back from the ART duo.
Christian Mansell moved his ART up to fifth with a late dive to the inside of Santiago Ramos at Turn 1 on lap 4.
As the opening laps ticked by, Van Hoepen radioed into his team to relay his tyres were beginning to overheat in the wake of teammate Tsolov.
By the midway point of the race, the top six were covered by four seconds with Santiago Ramos some 9.6s clear of Rodin Motorsport’s Callum Voisin who was running in P7.
In the fight for the final points places, Oliver Goethe pulled off a late dive to pass Dino Beganovic and secure himself ninth position, while behind Gabriele Mini cleared Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak to move up into 11th.
Into the final three laps and after a phase of tyre management, van Hoepen began to apply the pressure on Tsolov once again in the lead fight.
Boya’s battle with Mini resumed and the Spaniard found a gap at Turn 2 to take 11th position. Contact between Arvid Lindblad and Matias Zagazeta resulted in a late-race Safety Car on Lap 21, with the PREMA driver stopped at Turn 4.
With little time to clear both cars, it was not possible to resumed racing in time for a final lap shootout. Tsolov took his third race win of 2024 and his first F3 Feature Race victory.
The full top 10 are- P1: Tsolov, P2: Van Hoepen, P3: Leon, P4: Fornaroli, P5: Mansell, P6: Ramos, P7: Voisin, P8: Bedrin, P9: Goethe and P10: Beganovic.
Mari Boya started his Budapest weekend on the front foot, winding up quickest for Campos Racing with a 1:34.236 in practice. The Spaniard led Hitech Pulse-Eight teammates Martinius Stenshorne and Luke Browning, who completed the top three.
After a quiet start to the session, drivers headed out onto the circuit with 15 minutes gone. Following tyre preparation laps, Alex Dunne set the first time to beat with a 1:34.986 which was swiftly bettered by Gabriele Mini.
His PREMA Racing teammate Dino Beganovic had been on a strong lap just ahead of him but a snap of oversteer at the penultimate corner cost the Swede time, crossing the line almost a second down in fifth.
Sebastian Montoya had been inside the top five earlier in the session but lost his first effort to track limits. The Campos Racing driver bounced back right away though to go second overall, 0.117s off Leon’s time.
Teammate Boya beat the pair of them shortly afterwards, going well clear of the rest on a 1:34.236 with just over 10 minutes left of the session.
Hitech Pulse-Eight teammates Martinius Stenshorne and Browning then moved themselves into the top positions, the former going second and the Briton fourth. On his final lap, the latter was able to find the time to lift himself up one more spot to take third at the chequered flag.
Qualifying-
ART Grand Prix’s Laurens van Hoepen earned his first pole position in FIA Formula 3, with a 1:33.995 coming in the nick of time. The Dutch driver finished the session on top and ahead of teammate Nikola Tsolov in P2, while title contender Leonardo Fornaroli took third for Trident.
There was a late red flag as another contender Luke Browning spun into the barriers on his final attempt, ending the session early.
With tyre preparation laps complete, AIX Racing’s Joshua Dufek set the initial pace with a 1:34.414 ahead of teammates Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak and Nikita Bedrin in a 1-2-3 for the team.
There was more vying for track position ahead of the second attempts but this time it was van Hoepen that took over at the top, setting a 1:34.316 until Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon secured P1 with a 1:34.174.
Further back and with clear track, Fornaroli was next to go quickest but it was very closely run. The Italian driver went just 0.001s quicker than Leon to secure provisional pole.
Van Hoepen returned to the top as the first into the 1:33s ahead of teammate Tsolov in P2. Fornaroli put himself in third just as the red flags came out as title rival Browning found the barriers at Turn 11, bringing the session to a conclusion and those behind unable to improve.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Van Hoepen, P2: Tsolov, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Leon, P5: Ramos, P6: Dufek, P7: Mehuetounif, P8: Browning, P9: Tramnitz and P10: Mansell.
It was a great start for Lindblad, as the PREMA driver won out in a three way battle with pole-sitter Leon ans Zagazeta heading into Turn 1 to take the lead.
Zagazeta initially got ahead of Leon, but the Van Amersfoort Racing driver fought back through at Maggotts and Becketts to move up to P2. The Jenzer Motorsport rookie them came under attack from Christian Mansell heading into Stowe but managed to stay ahead.
Mansell though then lost a position on lap 3 as Rodin Motorsport’s Callum Voisin was showing strong pace to move past the ART Grand Prix driver for fourth at the entry to Luffield.
The Virtual Safety Car was needed moments later after Santiago Ramos suffered a puncture following a slight collision with Tommy Smith, with a piece of his tyre needing to be cleared from the racing line near Copse.
The action resumed on lap 5, but the safety car was almost immediately deployed after Max Esterson and Oliver Goethe collided on the entry to Copse, sending both through the gravel and into the barrier. Both drivers walked away from the incident, and they were back underway at the end of lap 7, however there was another collision as Tim Tramnitz and Luke Browning made contact going through the loop.
Alex Dunne was on the move and got ahead of Charlie Wurz for P6 going down the inside at Stowe, before making his way past Mansell for fifth on lap 11. Onto the next lap, and Dunne had dropped back behind Mansell and Wurz to seventh and was looking to retake the position from the Jenzer rookie, but the collided on the Wellington Straight.
Racing resumed on lap 14 with Lindblad two and a half seconds clear of Leon in the lead. Having resisted an earlier attack from Voision, Zagazeta was now outside DRS range of the British driver.
Just behind in the battle for fifth, a DRS train had formed behind Mansell which included his ART teammate Nikola Tsolov, Gabriele Mini, Sami Meguetounif and Sebastian Montoya. Montoya though, having started P17, was on a mission and dived down the inside of Meguetounif for P8 at Turn 3.
Onto the final lap, and Lindblad was now well over six seconds clear out in front as he crossed the line to win on home soil. Leon finished in second while Zagazeta achieved his first Formula 3 podium by finishing third.
The full top 10 are- P1: Lindblad, P2: Leon, P3: Zagazeta, P4: Voisin, P5: Tsolov, P6: Mini, P7: Montoya, P8: Meguetounif, P9: Van Hoepen and P10: Fornaroli.
Day 3-
It was a dramatic start to the day as light rain prior to the race getting underway promoted 28 of the 30 drivers to switch to the wet tyres, with Rodin Motorsport’s Voisin and Piotr Wisnicki the only ones to stick to slicks.
But as the cars rounded the track on the formation lap, the rain stopped causing several drivers to pit for Hards prior to lights out.
Pole-sitter, Luke Browning made a strong start from pole on his wets, while Leonardo Fornaroli was on the charge as he made his way past Trident teammate Sami Meguetounif before going round the outside of Max Esterson at Maggots and Becketts for second.
But a Safety Car was required as Cian Shields stopped by the side of the track at Turn 3, just as his HItech teammate Browning was told that more rain was expected.
We were back racing on lap 3, as Voisin put his slick tyres to use, going round the outside of Esterson at Turn 3 before getting past Fornaroli down the Wellington Straight. He then took over the lead of the race from Browning on the run down to Copse corner.
Voisin, who had a five second lead at one stage, was then handed a 10 second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in his overtake on Esterson.
But we were back racing on lap 8 and this time around it was the wet tyre runners making the moves with Browning and Fornaroli getting past Voisin in the first sector. Tramnitz was a major winner in this situation as having pitted for the wets he came from the back to P7 ahead of Hitech debutant James Wharton.
Another Safety Car was required on lap 9 though after Joshua Dufek spun at the exit of Stowe, causing Alexander Dunne and Sebastian Montoya to crash into the barriers as they looked to avoid the AIX Racing car.
We had now entered the final 15 minutes of the race and with the pack now bunched up together, PREMA came on the radio to tell Mini, now in P23, that the rain was stopping soon.
As racing resumed, Browning extended his lead over Fornaroli to over one second, while Leon went round the outside of Esterson at Stowe to take P3.
With 10 minutes to go, it looked like we had reached the crossover point with slick tyre runners Voisin, Lindblad and Mini slowly beginning to make their moves through the field.
With seven minutes left, those on dry tyres started to make their moves with VAR telling Leon that they were quicker by one second a lap. Voisin was up to fourth, Lindblad was sixth and Mini was eighth.
Entering the final five minutes, Voisin got past Browning down the Hangar Straight to take back the lead he had lost earlier. But with the penalty hanging over his head, Lindblad and Mini, who were fighting for P2 just behind him were effectively battling for the lead.
The three drivers were flying at the front as Voisin crossed the line in P1, but with his penalty, he dropped to third. This promoted Lindblad to first giving him a clean sweep of wins, a Formula 3 first in which a driver has won every race during a single weekend with Mini in second.
The full top 10 are- P1: Lindblad, P2: Mini, P3: Voisin, P4: Smith, P5: Wisnicki, P6: Goethe, P7: Fornaroli, P8: Browning, P9: Bedrin and P10: Leon.
Jenzer Motorsport’s Max Esterson ended up with the fastest time in the Free Practice, leading HiTech Pulse-Eight Cian Shields in a rain-hit session.
Esterson completed a lap of 2:00.153 to take top spot, eclipsing Shield’s previous benchmark time by just 0.114s as ART Grand Prix driver Nikola Tsolov ended up third.
With the full wet tyres strapped on as rain continued to fall at Silverstone, MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz was the early pacesetter thanks to his time of 2:02.391.
However, the fastest time continued to change as home favourites Joseph Loake and then Arvid Lindblad went to P1 only for Campos Racing’s Mari Boya to go over a second quicker on a 2:00.873.
Then came Tsolov in his ART car who then eclipsed Boya’s time by 0.323s while his teammate Christian Mansell went up to third, over half a second behind the Bulgarian driver.
With 20 minutes left of practice, the teams brought their cars in and bolted on the slicks for the first time in the day, but just as they did the rain began to fall even harder.
This meant that drivers did not improve on their best times, leaving Esterson fastest ahead of Shields, with Tsolov in third ahead of James Wharton, who has made a good start to his debut weekend with Hitech Pulse-Eight as Boya ended up fifth.
Qualifying-
Hitech Pulse Eight’s Luke Browning took a last gasp pole position at a rain-hampered qualifying in Silverstone ahead of Jenzer Motorsport’s Max Esterson and Trident’s Sami Meguetounif.
The Championship leader left it late on a drying lap with a time of 1:44.992 to take top spot with Esterson following his P1 in practice to go within 0.045s off pole to seal a maiden front row start.
Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon then set the initial time to beat with a lap of 1:45.475, Alexander Dunne moved up to second, just 0.070s off top spot, while Gabriele Mini settled into third for PREMA Racing.
However, as most of the grid returned to the pitlane looking to strap on a new set of hards, the rain intensified. This left Dino Beganovic at the back after the Swede lost his initial time to a track limits violation, while Championship leader Luke Browning was demoted to P13 by Tim Tramnitz.
But with all looking lost, the drivers ventured out on to the track aiming to do as much learning in mixed conditions before tomorrow’s sprint race.
However, the track began to improve heading into the final minute, with Leonardo Fornaroli going fastest on a 1:45.265. This was bad news for the drivers in the pit lane like Leon and Dunne as the timing screens lit up with purple and green sectors.
Browning then came across the line to complete a lap of 1:44.992 giving him pole position on home soil, as Esterson went second moments later.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Browning, P2: Esterson, P3: Meguetounif, P4: Fornaroli, P5: Van Hoepen, P6: Wurz, P7: Mansell, P8: Tsolov, P9: Voisin and P10: Zagazeta.
Pole sitter, Stenshorne tried to cover off Mansell from lights out but the Australian was able to get alongside him into Turn 1 to take the lead. The Hitech driver tried a re-pass into Turn 3 but was left running off the track, giving Tsolov momentum to take second position into Turn 4, making it an ART 1-2.
Dino Beganovic was a spinner at Turn 1 falling from inside the top 10 down to 25th. Kacper Sztuka was an early retirement and was stranded on the circuit which required the Safety Car to neutralise things.
Racing then resumed on lap 5 and Mansell was able to retain the advantage in front. Luke Browning was on the move after his grip penalty left him from starting 15th, going three-wide into Turn 4 to pass Nikita Bedrin and Arvid Lindblad to move into 11th.
With DRS, Tsolov was able to get alongside Mansell into Turn 4 and rounded the Australian on the outside to take the lead on lap 7.
Browning moved himself into the points-paying positions at the expense of Tim Tramnitz, moving down the inside at Turn 3 on lap 10 to secure 10th from the MP driver.
Lap 12, and Fornaroli put a brave move on Bedrin to move up to 14th, passing the AIX Racing driver around the outside of Turn 6.
Lap 16, was a busy one as Montoya looked to make a move on Alex Dunne at Turn 1, but the MP driver resisted the pressure to hold onto the position.
Up further ahead, Mansell got a move at Turn 4 to stick on Tsolov, able to take the lead from his ART teammate and remain ahead. Gabriele Mini got brave and rounded Oliver Goethe on the outside at Turn 6 to secure sixth position.
Contact with Trident’s Sami Meguetounif at the end of the lap for Lindblad left the PREMA Racing rookie with a puncture and dropped him out of the points fight.
On lap 17, the fight for the lead continued with Tsolov getting back through on Mansell at Turn 4, a slow corner exit for the Australian allowed Stenshorne a run through Turn 5, putting the Norwegian up to second.
The fight for the top five places continued just behind the trio but after a heated battle Montoya made contact with Dunne and was left spinning at Turn 4. The Colombian driver out of his car and ok, but the crash required another Safety Car.
The Safety Car was withdrawn with one lap to go, setting up a final lap sprint to the finish. Tsolov got the restart he needed to put some distance between himself and Stenshorne, and the Bulgarian earned his second sprint race victory of the year ahead of the Hitech driver.
The full top 10 are- P1: Tsolov, P2: Stenshorne, P3: Mansell, P4: Dunne, P5: Van Hoepen, P6: Mini, P7: Goethe, P8: Tramnitz, P9: Leon and P10: Meguetounif.
Day 3-
Browning launched into a clear lead at the first corner while PREMA Racing teammates Lindblad, Mini and Beganovic followed in second through to fourth as Tim Tramnitz dropped down to seventh. Lindblad and Mini battled on the exit of Turn 4 which allowed Beganovic the run into Turn 6 to take third from the Italian.
That became second for the Swede on lap 2, as he dived down the inside of his teammate into Turn 3. Noel Leon was on the move too further back, taking sixth from Sebastian Montoya as he continued his charge from 13th.
Lindblad was dropping through the pack on lap 8 after brief contact with Alex Dunne into Turn 3 as the MP Motorsport driver passed Goethe. Leon, Dunne and Goethe were able to clear the Brit on the run to Turn 4 to relegate the Red Bull Junior Team driver to seventh.
Contact at Turn 3 between Mari Boya in the Campos and AIX Racing’s Nikita Bedrin brought out a Virtual Safety Cat on lap 11 while marshals retrieved the latter’s car.
Back to racing conditions and Goethe was on the attack against Leon for fourth. The slightest of touches resulted in a puncture for the Van Amersfoort Racing driver, ending his charge through the pack and tumbling down the order.
10 laps to go, everyone behind leader, Browning had DRS down to ninth-placed Tramnitz as the fight for points ebbed and flowed.
Christian Mansell made his way into sixth position with a pass around the outside of Lindblad at Turn 4 on lap 19. That became fourth for the Australian with five laps to go, diving down the inside of Goethe at Turn 4.
Mini made an attempt on Beganovic for second at Turn 3 on the following lap, but it was Mansell that went surging around the outside of the Italian at the following corner to take third. That was until Mini pulled off his own audacious pass to re-take P3 at Turn 6.
Onto the penultimate lap and the battling behind allowed Browning to break out of DRS range to Beganovic, who was under attack from teammate Mini at Turn 4, with the Alpine Academy driver securing second a Turn 6.
The full top 10 are- P1: Browning, P2: Mini, P3: Beganovic, P4: Mansell, P5: Goethe, P6: Tsolov, P7: Lindblad, P8: Vans Hoepen, P9: Fornaroli and P10: Dunne.
Jenzer Motorsport’s Charlie Wurz ended up quickest of all in the opening session. The Austrian saved his best effort for the final five minutes to go top on a 1:21.182, while Trident’s Santiago Ramos got closest to him, just half a tenth back in second.
Joshua Dufek set the early pace for AIX Racing, though it was beaten shortly afterwards by ART Grand Prix’s Laurens van Hoepen, as he set a 1:22.409 to lead after 10 minutes of running.
Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon then moved to the top of the timing screens, lowering the fastest effort to a 1:22.387 to narrowly head up the field. Sami Meguetounif then put Trident in P1, going quicker still onto a 1:22.325.
After a minor lock-up on his first flying lap, Luke Browning went quickest of all approaching the halfway stage on a 1:21.781. Teammate Martininius Stenshorne made it a one-two for Hitech Pule Eight.
Fornaroli took back over at the top with 16 minutes to go of the session, lowering the benchmark to a 1:21.663 to lead the way.
After a lull in action, and return to the pits, cars ventured back out onto the circuit with under 10 minutes to go for the final laps.
Charlie Wurz for Jenzer Motorsport was the first to go quickest of all, deposing Fornaroli and then going quicker still, putting in a 1:21.182 to go almost half a second quicker than anyone else.
Santiago Ramos closed the gap down to just 0.054s with under two minutes remaining to go second.
Qualifying-
Luke Browning earned his first pole position in FIA Formula 3, opting to run without a tow on the final runs to take the top spot around the Red Bull Ring.
The Hitech Pulse Eight driver was at the head of the train going into the final few laps and was able to record a 1:20.222 without a slipstream to lead PREMA Racing’s Arvid Lindblad and MP Motorsport driver Tim Tramnitz.
In the opening stages, Noel Leon set the pace before being deposed by Nikola Tsolov, then Oliver Goethe and finally Gabriele Mini, with the PREMA driver’s 1:21.013 the time to beat.
The Van Amersfoort Racing driver repositioned himself in P1 with his next effort, just over a tenth quicker than Mini, before the Alpine Academy driver responded to go quickest by just 0.005s.
A return to the pits and switch to a fresh set of tyres, the field was back out onto the circuit. After trying unsuccessfully to not lead the field across the line to gain a tow, Browning led the line for the final flying laps without a slipstream and set a 1:20.222 for provisional pole.
Lindblad got closest to him, moving into second just 0.048s off that effort, while Tramnitz was another late improvement for MP.
The full top 10 are- P1: Browning, P2: Lindblad, P3: Tramnitz, P4: Mini, P5: Beganovic, P6: Goethe, P7: Van Hoepen, P8: Montoya, P9: Dunne and P10: Tsolov.
It was as you were at the start with Trident’s pole-sitter Santiago Ramos leading teammate Sami Megueounif away with the home favourite Boya in third.
But there was plenty of battling in the midfield with Christian Mansell, Gabriele Mini, Luke Browning and Nikola Tsolov going four-wide down the main straight, with the Australian driver taking 13th ahead of his rivals.
Ramos and Meguetounif were now squabbling for the lead at the start of Lap 3, but the Trident pair then collided at Turn 1. The Frenchman spun off while the former was forced to pit with a puncture.
This promoted Boya into the lead ahead of Dunne and Goethe, but the Safety Car was quickly called upon with Callum Voisin and Nikita Bedrin stopping on track after colliding at the same corner.
The action resumed on lap 7 and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Neol Leon was on the move again. The Mexican driver got past Arvid Lindblad at Turn 5, putting him sixth after starting in P13.
As lap 10 got underway, Dunne was now right on the back of Boya, with Goethe just behind. They had separated themselves from the field as Martinius Stenshorne made the move past Laurens van Hoepen for P4, with Leon later following him through to fifth.
On lap 14 of 21, a DRS train had now been formed from Boya in the lead to Sebastian Montoya in the final points paying position – the Colombian having gone from P27 on the grid to P12.
But it was soon to be bad news for the Campos driver after he made slight contact with Mini at the exit of Turn 4. The Prema driver sustained a puncture causing him to lose control of his car which sent him into Montoya, with both ending up in the gravel and the Safety Car was called upon once again.
However, with so few laps remaining, the Safety Car was withdrawn at the end of the final lap to leave Boya unchallenged to cross the line for his first victory in the championship.
The full top 10 are- P1: Boya, P2: Dunne, P3: Goethe, P4: Stenshorne, P5: Van Hoepen, P6: Leon, P7: Fornaroli, P8: Beganovic, P9: Lindblad and P10: Tramnitz.
Day 3-
It was as you were at the start with Mansell getting a strong launch from pole to lead Lindblad and his ART teammate Nikola Tsolov.
Oliver Goethe though was the one driver to lose out in the early exchanges as he dropped from fifth to eighth, promoting Luke Browning and Leonardo Fornaroli.
Mansell was coming under pressure from Lindblad for the lead and the PREMA Racing driver’s attack finally paid dividends on lap 5 as he went round the outside of Mansell at Turn 1 to take the first position.
Approaching the halfway stage of the race, Mansell was now over a second and a half behind Lindblad, with Browning being told to make the move past the ART driver.
Goethe was able to get past van Hoepen for P6, with the Dutchman now coming under pressure from Martinius Stenshorne.
On lap 17, Lindblad was now well over three seconds clear out front while Mansell had escaped from DRS range of Browning. The Hitech driver was now coming under pressure from Tsolov and Fornaroli as they battle for the final spot on the podium. The Trident driver then made his way past on lap 22, going round the outside of Tsolov at Turn 1.
Fornaroli now set his sights on Browning up ahead, the gap between the pair just a second. Tsolov though was beginning to struggle on his tyres, losing out to Goethe for P6 on the next lap.
Browning and Fornaroli went wheel-to-wheel for P3 on the penultimate lap and further behind, Stenshorne and van Hoepen were doing the same for P7. However, the McLaren junior and ART rookie collided at Turn 4, leaving both with punctures.
On to the final lap and Fornaroli went around the outside of Browning at Turn 2 to take P3, just as heavy rain hit the track.
The full top 10 are- P1: Lindblad, P2: Mansell, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Goethe, P5: Browning, P6: Tsolov, P7: Dunne, P8: Beganovic, P9: Leon and P10: Ramos.
Martinius Stenshorne led the way at the Barcelona free practice, as the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver completed a lap of 1:28.774 to top the timesheets ahead of Campos Racing’s Oliver Goethe and PREMA Racing’s Gabriele Mini.
After a quiet first half of the 45 minute session, the drivers head out on to the track for their flying laps of the day, and after the first efforts, it was Mini that went fastest.
The Championship leader completed a lap of 1:28.847 to go six-tenths clear at the front ahead of Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon in second.
Next to go to the top of the timesheets was Campos’ Goethe, who set a time of 1:28.810, while his teammate Sebastian Montoya moved up to third behind Mini.
While most of the gird came back into the pitlane with 10 minutes left, Hitech Pulse Eight’s trio of drivers stayed out on track. Stenshorne then went quickest with a 1:28.774 while Luke Browning was two-tenths back in fourth as Cian Shields went to P8.
As the session entered into the final five minutes, the red flags were waved with Campos’ Mari Boya in the barrier at Turn 1. The home favourite appeared to suffer an issue on the run down the main straight sending him through the gravel and then into the wall.
Qualifying-
Christian Mansell is set to start Formula 3’s 100th race from Pole Position after he beat PREMA Racing’s Arvid Lindblad to top spot in a dramatic qualifying.
The ART Grand Prix driver set a 1:28.463 on his final attempt in the session to take his maiden Pole in the category, with Lindblad ending up second just 0.036s off the pace, while Mansell’s teammate Nikola Tsolov was third.
After the first set of laps, it was the third ART driver Laurens van Hoepen who went fastest. The Dutchman’s time of 1:29.187 saw him beat Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli to the top spot by less than a tenth.
The drivers then returned to the pitlane and strapped on a second set of Pirelli hard tyres in preparation for the next set of push laps. As they crossed the line to complete the second flying efforts it was Luke Browning that went fastest with a 1:28.888.
On the final runs, the fastest effort changed hands multiple times before Mansell eclipsed Lindblad’s time by just 0.036s with his lap of 1:28.463 giving him his first Formula 3 pole position.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Mansell, P2: Lindblad, P3: Tsolov, P4: Browning, P5: Goethe, P6: Fornaroli, P7: Stenshorne, P8: Van Hoepen, P9: Dunne and P10: Boya.
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