Sophia Florsch will be making her return to FIA Formula 3 this season, as she signs with PHM Racing by Charouz. It will be the first time since 2020 that she has driven in the championship.
Florsch has plenty of single-seater experience after her graduation from the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2016. She finished her first two seasons of ADAC Formula 4, 19th and 13th before she moved to European F3 in 2018.
P7 in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2019, led her to move to FIA F3 for the 2020 season with Campos Racing.
Since leaving F3, Florsch has accumulated plenty of experience in sports cars, racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours in each of the last three years, as well as racing in DTM and the World Endurance Championship.
I am really excited and very happy to return to FIA Formula 3 this season with PHM Racing by Charouz. My goal has always been to race with the best of the best. Since the beginning of my career, I have been working very hard towards this goal every day with my team in the background.
Sophia, on her return to F3.
I have lots of respect for Sophia’s decision to come back to Formula sports and to take the challenge in this competitive field. She is very experienced in professional Racing in various classes and has a very professional attitude and working style. The racing world so far helped her to become even more ambitious and focused than many other male drivers. That’s another fact, why we start with Sophia. With our new campaign as PHM Racing by Charouz, we will do our best to support her on her path to the top.
Jenzer Motorsport have announced that Taylor Barnard completes their all-rookie driver line-up for the 2023 Formula 3 campaign.
The British racer makes the step up off the back of finishing runner-up in the German ADAC Formula 4 Championship, with five wins and a further five podiums to his name.
Banard made his single-seater debut in 2020 with a partial campaign in Italian F4 before making a full-time switch to German F4 the next year. 2022 saw the 18 year-old finish ninth in Formula 4 UAE, which he followed up with a dual campaign in both Italian and German F4, finishing eighth and second respectively.
The Brit got his first taste of F3 machinery during the post-season test in Jerez last year, recording four top 10 finishes, including topping the final session of running.
Ahead of pre-season testing in Sakhir in a fortnight’s time, Barnard is currently competing in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship where he currently sits second, with two race wins and two further podiums.
I am very happy to continue working with Jenzer Motorsport after a successful test in Jerez. We’ve made good progress over the winter and I’m more than pleased to start the FIA Formula 3 season! This is by far the biggest step in my career and it will be a challenge, but definitely one I’m up for! I would like to thank everyone at PHM Racing for this great opportunity that will make it possible for me to drive at Jenzer Motorsport in 2023.
Barnard on his new seat.
We got to know Taylor as a very bright driver who doesn’t need long to feel good on a new track. This ability will be a huge asset for him given the limited track time in FIA F3 racing events. Taylor immediately shows strong pace and a quick adaptation, although of course it is clear that there is a learning curve for him to do, too. In any case, we are looking forward to the new season together with our drivers very positively.
Jenzer Motorsport have confirmed Nikita Bedrin as their second driver for the upcoming F3 season, with him becoming the 15th rookie announced for the 2023 grid.
The 17 year old made the step up to single-seaters in 2021 following a successful karting career, in which he claimed the WSK Super Masters Series OK class title in 2020. The following year saw him compete in the UAE, German ADAC and Italian F4 Championships.
Returning to all three for second consecutive season in 2022, Bedrin finished fourth in the Standings in both F4 UAE and ADAC F4, achieving one win and a further five podium finishes in the German Championship.
Bedrin had his first chance to get to grips with the F3 machinery during last year’s post-season test, clocking in 184 laps across the three days in Jerez.
I’m very happy to have the opportunity to drive in the FIA F3 Championship! It is a big and important step. I’m ready to accept the challenge and make the most of it! I want to say a big thank you to PHM Racing for making it possible for me to drive at Jenzer Motorsport and for giving me this chance and believing in me. I can’t wait to start and I’m really looking forward to it!
Bedrin on his 2023 seat.
Nikita is young, talented and ambitious. We will work with him on his consistency and think he can surprise with very good results. In the post-season test in Jerez last autumn, he already did well with the powerful FIA F3 racing machine, which was new to him. We are looking forward to the season with him and are happy to start soon.
Alejandro Garcia will be racing with Jenzer Motorsport in the FIA Formula 3 Championship this year. The Mexican driver is the first of the team’s three drivers to be confirmed for the upcoming season.
The 19 year old graduated from karting to single-seater racing in 2018, competing in the NACAM Formula 4 Championship and securing three podium finishes as a rookie.
A switch to Spanish F4 in 2020 followed and he competed in a further season there in 2021. Last year, Garcia raced in the Euroformula Open Championship, ending the campaign seventh in the Drivers’ Standings.
He also took part in FIA F3 post-season testing with Jenzer last year, notching up 174 laps in Jerez.
I am very pleased to be racing in FIA Formula 3 with Jenzer Motorsport this season. I am really looking forward to work on my development as a driver to achieve good results throughout the season, I am really looking forward to make the most out of what will surely be a challenging season, with a steep learning curve. I would specially like to thank my Sponsors, Family and Management for this opportunity and I can’t wait to get started with official testing in Bahrain!
Garcia on his new seat.
Alejandro is a rookie in FIA F3 this season, and as we know well from experience, this can be hard at times. Alejandro’s step into this ultra-competitive environment will be a big challenge. We will work hard together and look forward to be on track in Bahrain.
Campos Racing have confirmed Hugh Barter will be graduating to FIA Formula 3 this season with the Spanish team. The 17 year old is the second driver confirmed as part of Campos’ 2023 line up.
Barter will be continuing his journey with Campos after racing with the team in the Spanish F4 Championship last year. He claimed six wins and seven further podium finishes whilst in the French Formula Academy, he won 10 races. Barter finished both campaigns second in each respective series.
He took part in post-season testing last year with Campos, getting his first laps in the FIA F3 car on days two and three. He totalled 63 laps across both days.
Ahead of testing and the first round of the 2023 season in Sakhir, Bahrain, Campos Racing Team Principal Adrian Campos said that Barter was a talent and would be able to fight in the Championship quickly.
We are proud to continue working with Hugh (Barter) after a 2022 season with plenty of success. The Formula 3 championship is yet a more difficult challenge but we feel confident as he is a very talented driver with excellent skills. We really hope he will be able to quickly learn with our support and experience in order to end the season fighting for top results.
Adrian Campos on Barter.
I’m very happy to announce that I’ll be doing F3 with Campos Racing this year. It’ll be good to keep the relationship going after a strong season with them in Formula 4 so I look forward to it. I would also like to thank my main sponsor Platinum High Integrity Technologies Limited because without them it would not be possible.
Sebastian Montoya will be joining HiTech Grand Prix for his first FIA Formula 3 campaign this season. The 17 year-old is part of the Red Bull Junior Team, freshly signed ahead of the 2023 season.
The Colombian made two appearances last year across the Zandvoort race weekend with Campos Racing and tested with HiTech in Jerez in last year’s post-season test.
Montoya graduated from karting in 2020 to Italian Formula 4. he finished the season 11th in the standings and competed in six races in ADAC Formula 4. The same programme followed the next year, improving to fourth in the Italian Championship in 2021, taking two pole positions and nine podiums across the season.
In 2022, Montoya competed in the Formula Regional Asian Championship ahead of the European season beginning, winning twice and finishing seventh in the Drivers’ Standings. His step up from F4 to Formula Regional European Champioship by Alpine with PREMA Racing was a tough one, but he ended the season 13th on 44 points.
During 2022, his two F3 appearances in Zandvoort with Campos where he acquitted himself very well, finishing both the Sprint and Feature races in eighth position.
We will all work together to have a great year and fight at the front consistently. I just want to say thank you to my family and everyone else involved. Let’s bring on the season and give it everything.
Carlin have announced that British Formula 4 Vice-Champion, Oliver Gray will step up to Formula 3 with them for the 2023 campaign, with Williams confirming that the young Brit will continue as part of their Driver Academy for another year.
Last year, the 17 year old finished as runner-up in the F4 British Championship with Carlin, claiming an impressive 16 podiums, two wins and two pole positions in his only second season of single-seater racing.
Prior to making his debut in cars, Gray enjoyed karting success in the UK and Europe. He achieved the 2019 Motorsport UK Kartmasters and British Karting Championship titles at the X30 junior level, alongside taking the Vice Champion honours in the IAME Euro Series.
Graduating to single-seaters for the 2021 British F4 season, he took two wins and two pole positions on his way to finish seventh in the standings. As well as making a two-round appearance in Italian F4 – earning him a spot in the Williams Driver Academy.
I’m super excited to be making the step up to F3 next season. I’m indebted to my sponsors and for the belief that Williams and Carlin have shown in me. Hopefully this will be the first year of a two-year programme in F3, so the aim this season will be to really learn as much as possible about the car, circuits and tyres, all of which will be new to me. To be able to embark on that with the team at Carlin is a dream come true and I can’t wait to get going.
Gray on his new seat.
Ollie was a complete pleasure to have in the team last season and we really believe in his potential. It’s a big step up to FIA F3, which is an incredibly competitive championship so it will be a steep learning curve. Making steady but recognisable progress with every event will be the aim, and Ollie has the attitude and talent to be able to do that.
Caio Collet will be joining Van Amersfoort Racing for his third season in Formula 3, as the Brazilian racer makes the switch from MP Motorsport.
The 20 year old, first made his F3 appearance in 2021, scoring two podiums, including one on debut in Barcelona.
After a successful rookie season, Collet put in more strong performances in 2022 earning sprint race wins in Budapest and Zandvoort where he went on to finish eighth in the Drivers’ Championship.
Prior to his move to F3, Collet secured the 2018 French F4 title in his maiden season in single-seaters. There he achieved an impressive 11 podium finishes which included seven victories.
The following year saw him finish fifth in Formula Renault Eurocup, claiming six podiums along the way. He then returned for a second campaign in 2020, Collet took five wins and seven further podiums on his way to finish second in the Championship.
Exciting times are coming as I am extremely motivated to get started with Van Amersfoort Racing. During their first year in F3, the team proved to everyone how much potential they have. From my side, I am very confident going into the new season. I have used the winter period effectively and feel ready, more than I ever did. I have set high goals for myself, and the team is as motivated as I am to take the maximum out of this year, so let the games begin!
Collet on his move.
Caio has shown in the past how fast and talented he is, making it extremely exciting to have him as part of our F3 driver line-up this year. Caio brings valuable experience to the team, which will help us to grow at an even higher pace than last year. Clearly, he is determined to perform strong this year, and so do we as a team. Our motivation levels are really high, the least said, and our crew is very much looking forward to working with an experienced driver as Caio!
Franco Colapinto has become the latest signing to the Williams Driver Academy.
The Argentine competed in his rookie FIA Formula 3 campaign last year, finishing 9th in the drivers’ championship with Van Amersfoort after several stand-out performances across the season, including his debut in Bahrain.
The 19 year old captured the Spanish F4 title in his first full season of single-seater racing in 2019, where he took 11 race wins. He drove in both Formula Renault Eurocup and Toyota Racing Series in 2020, finishing third in both series with three victories and 17 podiums combined.
For his second FIA F3 season, Colapinto switches from VAR to reunite with MP Motorsport. The 19 year old took part in the post season test with the team last year, achieving 248 laps at Jerez and ending the test with the fastest time on the third and final day.
It’s a real honour to join Williams Racing as an Academy Driver. They are one of the most successful teams in Formula 1 history and I am looking forward to following in the footsteps of my fellow countryman Carlos Reutemann. It’s an incredible opportunity for which I am forever grateful. Thanks to everyone at Williams for putting their trust in me. I am also excited to announce that I will be back with MP Motorsport for the 2023 FIA F3 season. I really enjoyed my time with the team in Eurocup and FRECA and we achieved some great results together. The goal is to reach even higher this time. My first year in FIA F3 was all about learning and I will use all the knowledge I’ve gathered to aim for the title next year. I am grateful to everyone who made this possible. Bullet Sports Management, YPF, ROFGO Racing, and of course, my beloved country Argentina. Thank you for all the support. I can’t wait to get the season started.
Colapinto on joining the Academy and his new seat.
We’re delighted to welcome Franco to the Williams Racing Driver Academy. His career achievements since starting karting highlight Franco’s natural ability behind the wheel and what he’s capable of in the years to come. He had a standout rookie season in Formula 3 with several strong performances that led to podiums and wins. We look forward to working closely with Franco to support and nurture his development as a driver.
Sven Smeets, Sporting Director at Williams Racing.
Franco Colapinto has switched to MP Motorsport for his second campaign in FIA Formula 3.
A standout performer of the 2022 season, as Colapinto scored pole position on his and Van Amersfoort Racing’s debut weekend in Sakhir before going on to take two wins and a further three podiums.
Having made his single-seater debut in 2019, Colapinto immediately set out to make his mark by achieving the Spanish F4 title at the first time of asking.
Progressing up to Formula Renault Eurocup the following year with MP, the Argentinian secured third in the standings. Embarking on a campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with the Dutch squad in 2021, he closed his season in sixth with two wins and two further podiums.
Alongside his running in FRECA, he gained additional experience in endurance racing, taking home a victory in the European Le Mans series LMP2 class and finishing seventh in his first 24 hours of Le Mans.
I’m so pleased to have signed with MP for my second season in FIA Formula 3. I only have fond memories of my years in Formula Renault and Formula Regional with the team, a cooperation that resulted in many wins and pole positions. I’m eager to resume the run of success that we have had and fully intend to expand on it. Next year is going to be great!
Colapinto on his seat.
It’s so good to be able to welcome Franco back into the MP fold. He’s been outstanding in his two years with us, and in his other two seasons since his promotion from karts Franco was always among our most daunting rivals! With a first season of FIA F3 under his belt, he now carries the weight needed for a consistently frontrunning campaign – and we’re here to help him achieve that.
Van Amersfoort Racing has confirmed that Rafael Villagomez will be racing with the team in 2023 in his third FIA Formula 3 campaign.
Villagomez began his single seater career back in 2020, winning the Richard Mille Young Talent search and racing in British and French F4, consistently scoring points in both that season.
Graduation up to Euroformula Open in 2021, with VAR brought four podium finishes and P8 in the championship, he also paired that campaign with his rookie season in FIA Formula 3, driving for HWA Racelab.
Last season, his focus was solely on a follow-up F3 campaign, and he will be sticking with VAR for this year’s Championship.
I am really excited about competing in Formula 3 again. Both myself and the team have grown a lot last year and it’s great to be able to continue working together in 2023. I have used the winter period to fully prepare myself physically, and I am really excited to be already racing in January in FRMEC. It feels like this is the best approach to get fully ready for the season and I can’t wait for it to finally kick off again!
The 21 year old said.
It is great to continue working with Rafael this upcoming season. Rafael is very dedicated to his goals, which makes him an absolute pleasure to work with. Having a driver in the team for multiple seasons has clear benefits. Due to the intense contact, you grow stronger as a team, which ultimately is key for performing well on track. Our crew is very committed to support Rafael in progressing both on- and off the circuit and all are fully dedicated to book strong results this season!
Jonny Edgar will be returning for a third Formula 3 season, making the switch from Trident to MP Motorsport for the 2023 campaign.
The 18 year old finished his sophomore season strongly, scoring four top five finishes in the final six races to take 12th in the Standings, despite missing two rounds early on due to health problems.
Edgar already has four years of single-seater experience under his belt, where he progressed up to Italian F4 in 2019 after a successful karting career. From there, he stormed to the 2020 ADAC Formula 4 title, claiming six wins, 11 podiums and five pole positions across 21 races.
Making his F3 debut in 2021, for Carlin the British racer took five points-scoring finishes before moving to Trident the following year.
First linking up with MP during post-season testing in Jerez, Edgar clocked in 259 laps across the three days and will be continuing his partnership with the Dutch team alongside Spanish rookie, Mari Boya.
I’m really happy to become part of the MP family for 2023. The team are proven race winners in FIA Formula 3, a fact that they have consistently showed over the past few seasons. It was great to get a headstart with the team at Jérez and meet up with Mari and all the guys. This year has been difficult with my health issues, but I have fought back and really worked on my fitness in the car. So now I’m relishing the thought of a fresh attack on FIA F3, as it feels like unfinished business to me. I can’t wait to get going!
Edgar on his new seat.
We are truly pleased to welcome Jonny in our FIA F3 team. He is an outstanding driver with loads of natural talent, his titles in karting and Formula 4 vouch for that. We look forward to having a hand in rebooting his promising career by providing him with a competitive F3 car. We enjoyed working with him at Jérez and aim to help him convert all of his obvious raw speed into strong results. Bring on 2023!
Tommy Smith will be making his Formula 3 debut for Van Amersfoort Racing next year, as the Dutch team confirms the Australian racer as their first signing for the 2023 campaign.
The 20 year old steps up off the back of his first full season in the GB3 Championship, where he took a maiden victory at Spa-Francorchamps.
A consistent performer, Smith would finish eighth and seventh in the standings across his two seasons in the Championship. Alongside this, he gained further experience in both the 2019 Toyota Racing Series and the F3 Asian CHampionship, finishing 10th in his sophomore Asian F3 campaign at the beginning of 2020.
After almost a year out, Smith dovetailed a full season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with a three round appearance in the GB3 Championship. Remaining in GB3 for the 2022 season, the Australian went on to achieve 18 points-scoring finishes in 24 races, including one victory and a further podium finish.
I am absolutely thrilled about this opportunity. Having raced in both FRECA and GB3 championships, stepping up to the FIA F3 feels like the right next move. I’m certainly aware that it will be a challenging season in which I will have to learn and adapt continuously, but I am convinced I am taking on this challenge with the right team. VAR’s achievements already in their first year competing in FIA F3 are a clear indicator of their level of commitment, and I look very much forward to get started with them and the championship!
Smith on his move to F3.
We are excited to have Tommy as part of our driver line-up. He is new to the FIA F3 Championship, but Tommy’s time spent in FRECA and GB3 will certainly help him to pick up quickly. Tommy is very eager to learn and quickly book progress. He showed this positive attitude already in the past and that will help both Tommy and the crew to jumpstart the season. We look very much forward to supporting him in this important next step of his career!
Kaylen Frederick will return for a third Formula 3 campaign in 2023, switching to ART Grand Prix after a season with Hitech Grand Prix.
The American is the French team’s third and final signing for the 2023 season, alongside returnee Gregoire Saucy and Spanish F4 Champion, Nikola Tsolov and joins off the back of his strong season in the third tier to date, scoring seven points-scoring finishes in the first 10 races.
Initially making his F3 debut in 2021 with Carlin Buzz Racing, Frederick scored points in his rookie campaign before making the switch to Hitech for the 2022 campaign. After a promising start to the season, he struggled for points in the latter half of the year and finished 17th in the standings.
Participating in two days of post-season testing at Jerez with ART, the 20 year-old put in an impressive showing, finishing all four sessions inside the top 10 including topping Day 1’s afternoon running.
I am very happy to be joining ART GP for the 2023 FIA F3 season. It’s extremely exciting to be a part of such a prestigious team, and to see what the future holds for our collaboration. A big thank you goes out to my team and sponsors for making this possible, and to everyone at ART for welcoming us into their team. Our performance and relationship have been promising from our first on track outings and I can’t wait to build on this over the winter and throughout the coming season.
Frederick on his seat.
Kaylen confirmed the talent we thought he had during the Jerez tests, and we are confident in his ability to exploit his full potential with ART Grand Prix. English F3 champion, Kaylen already has the experience of managing a championship where you are racing in the lead and his qualities as a driver are undeniable. He will therefore be a double asset in a long and complex season, during which the team will aim to confirm its good results in 2022.
Carlin have announced Hunter Yeany as their first signing for the 2023 Formula 3 season, with the American making the move over from Campos Racing for next year.
Having made his F3 debut in 2021 with a two-round appearance for Charouz Racing System, Yeany’s full time move to the championship for 2022 was curtailed after he suffered a broken wrist during the Spielberg Sprint Race, forcing the 17 year old to miss out on seven races.
Bouncing back from the injury, he returned for the final round in Monza and followed that up with two days of running for Carlin at the post-season test in Jerez in late September.
Prior to moving over to the European racing scene, Yeany made a name for himself back on home turf. In 2020, he claimed the F4 USA Championship title in a dominant fashion, snatching eight wins and a further six podiums – on his way to being their youngest-ever Champion.
From there, he made the step up to Formula Regional Americas CHampionship, alongside gaining single-seater experience in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship, as well as the GB3 Championship in the UK.
I’m really excited to announce that I will be racing with Carlin in Formula 3 next year. Carlin was the first team I ever tested with in Europe, so it feels like a bit of a coming home! Let’s rock it in 2023!
Yeany on his move.
We are really happy to be able to confirm that Hunter will join the team for the 2023 FIA F3 season. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Hunter in the post-season test, it was nice for us to have a driver with some experience of the FIA F3 car to give us some direction, so I look forward to continuing that relationship. We feel Hunter has far more potential than he has shown, especially because he missed a handful of races due to injury last year. I know that we will be able to hit the ground running come pre-season testing in Bahrain.
ART Grand Prix have confirmed that Nikola Tsolov will drive for the team in FIA Formula 3 next season. The Bulgarian drove for the French team during post-season testing at Jerez earlier this year and will now step up to F3 full-time.
Tsolov started racing in karting at 9 years old, winning the Bulgarian Republic Championship in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and ’17. Then in 2019, he claimed the WSK Open Cup the following year before going on to take second in the Italian Karting Championship and WSK Final Cup in 2021.
The Bulgarian then graduated to single seaters for 2022, dominating the Spanish F4 Championship, where he took 13 victories on the way to the title.
It’s a pleasure for me to be stepping up to FIA F3 next year with ART Grand Prix. They’ve been very successful in every championship they’ve competed in and a lot of F1 drivers have been a part of the team. So, I’m super happy to start our journey!
Tsolov on his seat.
Although it was his debut in F3 and with ART Grand Prix, during the Jerez test Nikola confirmed his ability to adapt quickly and well to a new environment as well as getting the most out of the car. His natural speed is reinforced by a great thirst for learning and by remarkable seriousness and determination for such a young age. Nikola fits the profile of the young drivers ART Grand Prix takes under its wing and, in the wake of the team securing the FIA Formula 3 with Victor Martins, we want to lay the foundations for a strong line-up, one that is capable of fighting for victory from the very first race of 2023.
Trident have announced that they have signed Leonardo Fornaroli for the 2023 Formula 3 season.
Completing their driver line-up, the Italian racer will be competing alongside Oliver Goethe, and fellow Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine graduate, Gabriel Bortoleto.
The 18 year old joins F3 off the back of a successful maiden FRECA campaign with the Italian team, scoring 15 points finishes in 20 races. His consistency was well rewarded, finishing eighth in the Drivers’ Championship and taking the honours as the rookie of the year.
Having made his single-seater debut in 2020, Fornaroli dovetailed his rookie season in Italian F4 with a three race stint in ADAC Formula 4. Returning for a second campaign in Italian F4 last year, he seized one victory, seven podiums and two pole positions on his way to fifth in the standings.
Progressing up to FRECA in 2022, he also made a three round appearance in the Formula Regional Asian Championship at the start of the year.
Featuring for Trident at the post-season test in Jerez, Fornaroli notched in over 180 laps across the three days and made two top six appearances during the second day of running.
I’m happy to continue my journey with Trident Motorsport, after this year’s success in Formula Regional with the team. I believe Trident is the best place to keep growing and learning and to be able to debut in Formula 3 with them is a great opportunity for me. For these reasons, I would like to thank Maurizio Salvadori and his team for the trust and confidence they have in me. I also would like to thank my family, my manager, my coach and my sponsors for their ongoing support and help.
Leonardo Fornaroli on his move.
Leonardo Fornaroli is without a doubt a promising young driver and we are proud to be with him in his debut in Formula 3. The path followed by Leonardo testifies the great work value made by Trident Motorsport to help young talents grow in minor categories with the goal of helping and preparing them for a future in Formula 1.
Trident have confirmed that Oliver Goethe for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 season. The German-Danish driver will be making the graduation to F3 after claiming the 2022 Euroformula Open title.
Goethe has already raced in FIA F3, making two appearances in Campos Racing colours across the Budapest and Spa-Francorchamps weekends. After securing eighth in the Budapest Sprint Race, he followed that up with a P4 finish in the Feature Race at Spa. Goethe also appeared at the post-season F3 test in Jerez, driving for Trident across all three days.
He started his single-seater career in Spanish F4, completing his first full season in 2020 and finishing the year fifth in the standings. He then moved to Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2021 and followed that up with his title-winning Euroformula Open campaign in 2022.
Oliver Goethe is without a doubt a promising young driver. We are extremely proud to have him in our line-up for 2023 in FIA Formula 3 Championship and we look forward to a new season together. We were impressed by his debut in the category last season and by the excellent work done by the German-Danish driver’s technical staff during the postseason Test in Jerez last September. We welcome the new member of the Trident Motorsport Family with the certainty that we will build the right alchemy to reach important goals together.
Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager.
I am delighted to join Trident for my first full season in FIA F3. I drove with the team in Jerez, and it was a great experience. They are very professional and have achieved some great success in this championship. I know we are capable of some good results together, and I can’t wait to get the season started. Huge thanks to my sponsors and partners for their support so far and for being by side as I am taking an important step in my career. Thanks to ROFGO, Gulf Oil International, Tag Heuer, Venture Engineering, Pit Stop Monte Carlo, Bullet Sport Management, and of course my parents and my coach Stuart for all the help.
The FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 Championship promoters announce that German team PHM Racing will take over Charouz Racing System’s entries and assets from the 2023 F2 and F3 seasons.
Founded in 2021 by Paul H. Muller, PHM Racing took part in the Formula 4 Championship in the United Arab Emirates, the German ADAC F4 and the Italian ACI F4 Championship in 2022.
PHM Racing will be operated by Charouz Racing System in 2023, and the team will race under PHM Racing by Charouz in both Championships.
The German outfit will be making its first appearance when Formula 2 and Formula 3 return for pre-season testing at the Bahrain International circuit, on February 14th to 16th.
I would like to welcome to PHM Racing to Formula 2 and Formula 3. Although they are a young team, they are eager to prove they have what it takes to embrace the challenges of our championships. I would also like to thank Toni Charouz and everyone at Charouz Racing System. Toni has been a great partner throughout the years and Charouz Racing have been valued members of our paddock since 2018. They will operate PHM Racing in both categories next season, so the Charouz name will remain on the grid in some capacity for another year.
FIA Formula 2 Championship CEO, Bruno Michel.
Joining Formula 3 and Formula 2 is the next step in our evolution as a comprehensive development program for young driver talents. We are excited to offer drivers a team that can take them from karting all the way to the doorstep of Formula One.
Paul H.Mueller, owner of PHM Racing adds.
I’m really glad to announce this partnership with Paul and his team. PHM Racing is a quite new name in the motorsport landscape but they already showed how professional and competitive they can be in Formula 4 and I’m sure, with all our knowledge and support, that they can do as well in the FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 championships.
Toni Charouz, Team owner of Charouz Racing System.
Australian Christian Mansell will be making step up to FIA Formula 3 on a full time basis next year, as he joins Campos Racing for the 2023 campaign.
The 17 year old made his F3 debut this year with Charouz Racing System, competing across two rounds in Budapest and Spa-Francorchamps, with a best finish of 22nd.
He also participated in two days of the post-season test in Jerez behind the wheel of the Campos car, finishing inside the top 10 for the Spanish team in the opening session.
Mansell began his career karting in Australia and went on to step up to single-seaters in his home country in 2019. He made appearances in the New South Wales Formula Race Car Championship and Australian Formula 4 Championship before switching to the European racing scene for the 2020 F4 British campaign.
There he went on to score one win and five podiums on his way to seventh in the standings, alongside being crowned the Rookies’ Cup Champion. In 2021, he moved up to the GB3 Championship, achieving two wins and five podiums to claim third, alongside a three-round appearance in the Euroformula Open Championship.
Returning for a title-contending second stint in Euroformula, Mansell ended the 2022 season third, after securing three wins and 12 podium finishes.
To be joining Campos for FIA F3 in 2023 is such an incredible honour, and achievement. With a strong showing in the latter part of the season it gives me confidence I can do well in my opening year in FIA F3. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
Christian Mansell on his seat.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to Christian (Mansell) on behalf of Campos Racing. It will be a huge challenge for him as it will be his rookie season in the FIA Formula 3, which is an extremely competitive racing series. His previous results, a race winner in other championships, explain well he is a talented driver. Besides, due to his diabetic condition, Christian is an example to follow for everybody as he proves what you can achieve with commitment and determination, even at the highest motorsport level.
PRMEA Racing have announced that Williams junior, Zak O’Sullivan will be joining them for his second Formula 3 season, completing their driver line-up for the 2023 campaign.
17 year old O’Sullivan finished 11th in the Drivers’ Championship this year for Carlin with 54 points and two podiums – including a spectacular showing on home soil in Silverstone where he claimed his first F3 pole position.
He will be partnering Mercedes Junior, Paulo Aron and Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine Champion and Ferrari backed junior, Dino Beganovic as the Italian team aim to retain their Teams’ Championship title.
O’Sullivan’s single-seater career began in 2019 and has included plenty of success for the British race. In his first two years racing, he finished second in both the Ginetta Junior Championship and the F4 British Championship.
In 2021, he dominated the field on his way to the GB3 Championship title, racking up seven wins, 14 podiums and five pole positions on his way to glory – earning him a promotion to F3 in 2022 and a spot in the Williams Driver Academy.
Making his debut with PREMA at the post-season testing in Jerez, O’Sullivan finished five out of the six sessions inside the top 10 clocking in the third fastest time of Day 2’s morning session.
I am really excited to be joining PREMA for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 season. It will be a new environment for me, but PREMA’s history says all we need to know, so hopefully, we can have a good year together. The first impressions in testing were good, and the pace was pretty strong. I was still learning the car as there are a few differences, getting to know all the team and the engineers, and learning some Italian as well!
Zak on his new move.
We are particularly looking forward to working with Zak. We are impressed by what he achieved in his maiden FIA F3 season and his career so far. He will bring in his experience, which is something we always really value, and he already did an outstanding job in post-season testing. That will boost our preparations for 2023, and we are confident we will see Zak thrive in our environment. We are equally delighted to work with the Williams Driver Academy, and we are grateful for the trust they have put into us.
MP Motorsport have announced Mari Boya will be making his Formula 3 debut with the team next season, becoming their first signing for the 2023 campaign.
Boya will make the step up from the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine after two seasons in the category. The 18 year old scored his maiden podium in Valencia last year, before going on to finish 10th in the Standings in 2022.
During his first run behind the wheel of MP’s machinery at the post-season test in Jerez, Boya put in a solid showing, finishing inside the top 10 during the final morning session, and clocking in 225 laps across the three days.
After five years of karting, Boya made his single-seater debut in Spanish F4 in 2020 where he acheived three wins, 14 podiums and two pole positions on his way to finish second in the Drivers’ Championship as a rookie.
It’s a great feeling to know that this winter I will be gearing up for a vital next step in my career, moving up to FIA Formula 3 with MP Motorsport. It’s so good to be able to do that together with MP. Having worked so well with the team in 2020 and in recent months, I had no doubts in signing with them for my FIA F3 debut. I’m really looking forward to racing in front of all the Grand Prix teams, and can’t wait for the first round in Bahrain!
Mari Boya on his move up the ranks.
We are very pleased to welcome Mari to our FIA Formula 3 team. Although he will be new to FIA F3, he is very much a known quantity to us. In 2020, his first season in single-seaters with us in Spanish F4 was truly outstanding, and it was good to welcome him back into our FRECA team in the course of this season. He already showed much promise during the post-season tests. Now we are eager to use that as a platform to set him up for the strongest possible rookie year in FIA F3.
ART Grand Prix have announced that Gregoire Saucy will be remaining with the team for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 season. The Swiss driver has been with the French team for the past three years, graduating to F3 this season and finishing 15th overall.
Saucy has enjoyed success in the past with ART, securing the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2021 with eight race victories to his name.
Prior to that title success, the 22 year-old competed in German Formula 4 and Toyota Racing Series before linking up with ART GP in FRECA.
In 2023, I will celebrate my 4th anniversary with ART Grand Prix, a milestone I am very proud of. Knowing the team for this long is a plus because we know each other’s strengths and we know how to work on our weaknesses. I have already started on my mental and physical preparation so I can be ready for the first laps of 2023. I learnt a great deal in the first season of F3 and I will be using that to bring ART Grand Prix a second title, following the one in FRECA back in 2021. The Championship will be long and exciting, with new dates, and one of the keys will be to be consistent right from the onset. This is what we missed last season and I know that to achieve my title objective we will have to do what we did in 2021: score the maximum number of points when victory is not within our reach. I am very happy to continue working with ART Grand Prix and I can’t wait for the new season to start. I want to thank ART Grand Prix, Dominique Guenat, Richard Mille and my sponsors without whom this project would not have been possible.
Gregoire Saucy on staying with ART.
Grégoire has been a member of the ART Grand Prix family for three years and we could only congratulate ourselves on his personal and sporting qualities. In the wake of his title in the European Regional Formula by Alpine where he moved forward a step, he made a promising debut in Formula 3 by climbing onto the podium in Bahrain during his first weekend of racing in the series. Like the team, Grégoire has had his ups and downs, but he fought hard throughout the year and in 2023 his first year of experience in the discipline will be an asset to help him aim for regular victories.
HiTech Grand Prix have confirmed that Italian driver, Gabriele Mini will be competing with the team in next season’s FIA Formula 3 Championship.
Mini, took part in the post-season test at Jerez with the team, setting the fastest time on the opening day at the Spanish circuit.
His debut season racing in single-seaters was capped off with the Italian F4 title, which included foure wins and 12 podiums by the end of the campaign. The 17 year old has previously driven for Hitech, competing in the Formula Regional Asia series earlier this year, finishing fourth in the standings.
This season, Mini finished second in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, taking three wins and six podiums along the way.
After two seasons in FRECA, FIA F3 is the logical step for me and I’m delighted to be joining Hitech for the 2023 season. We already worked together last winter in Formula Regional Asia and enjoyed strong results. The team did a solid job last season fighting for the driver’s title until the last round so I’m confident they will perform at the highest level. Testing in Jerez last month went well and I cannot wait to be back in the car next year.
Mini on his new new seat.
I have been following Gabriele’s career for some time through Karting, then into F4. We had the pleasure to work with him earlier this year in Asian F3 with good results, seeing first-hand his commitment and talent. He has had an impressive season in FRECA and he was instantly up to speed during the FIA F3 post-season testing in Jerez, so we look forward to seeing him with Hitech in 2023.
FIA Formula 3 has announced the calendar for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship. With next season having a total of 10 rounds, all support events of the FIA Formula One World Championship and the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Teams and drivers will contest a total of 20 races across the 10 rounds, and over three continents. With two new prestigious tracks been added to the calendar, with Melbourne in Australia and Monte Carlo in Monaco.
F3’s fifth season will again begin at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 03 – 05 with the final round in 2023 taking place in Monza, Italy on September 01 – 03. The season will include one triple header and two double-headers.
Round
Date
Location
1
03 – 05 March
Sakhir, Bahrain
2
31 March – 02 April
Melbourne, Australia
3
19 – 21 May
Imola, Italy
4
25 – 28 May
Monte Carlo, Monaco
5
02 – 04 June
Barcelona, Spain
6
30 June – 02 July
Spielberg, Austria
7
07 – 09 July
Silverstone, Great Britain
8
21 – 23 July
Budapest, Hungary
9
28 – 30 July
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
10
01 – 03 September
Monza, Italy
It’s great news to be able to confirm the Formula 3 calendar for 2023 for hopefully another thrilling season. There is no doubt that in its fifth year we can expect drama, action and some of the most exciting battles on track to date. We’re looking forward to seeing the talent of the future take to the track at 10 rounds of the Championship, and visiting two exciting new venues in Melbourne, Australia and Monte Carlo, Monaco, for the first time.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.
As the final two steps on the junior single-seater pathway, I am pleased that in 2023 FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 continue to race alongside the FIA Formula One World Championship. There is no better preparation than to compete on these gold-standard grand prix circuits, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the next generation of drivers take on a new challenge with the addition of a round in Australia next year.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President.
I am very pleased to present the 2023 calendar. It features two brand-new circuits, Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne and Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, which is really amazing. These two very prestigious tracks are the first street circuits to be added to the F3 calendar. They will offer the teams and the drivers an exciting new challenge, and I’m sure that the fans will love seeing the F3 cars race on both layouts. Formula 3 will be present at ten Formula One Grand Prix in 2023, one more than in 2022. The Championship will also visit three continents next year, more than any season previously. Despite the increase of the number of races, we keep specific attention to the teams’ budgets, and notably we will cover the freight costs to ensure that their budgets do not escalate.
PREMA Racing have announced that Dino Beganovic will be graduating to FIA Formula 3 with the team next year, off the back of his title-winning season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.
The 18 year old made his single-seater debut with the Italian squad in 2020, finishing third in Italian Formula 4. Moving up to FRECA the following year, Beganovic took one podium during his maiden campaign before returning for a second outing this season.
Dominating the start of the campaign, Beganovic claimed four victories on his way to being crowned Champion at the penultimate race in Mugello.
The Ferrari junior had a successful showing for PREMA in his first outing in F3 machinery during the post-season test in Jerez last month, clocking in the second fastest time of Day 1’s afternoon session.
I am extremely happy to be racing with PREMA, my team, in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship. It will be our fourth year together, and I’m very proud to continue working together. PREMA has an amazing history in Formula 3 and won at least one championship per year there. I think it is definitely a step in the right direction for my future and for the team, as we have been working for a long time together. Testing in Jerez put us in a good position with the preparations for next year, and we want to continue from that.
Dino Beganovic on his new seat.
We have been working with Dino since the very beginning of his single seater career, and we are elated to continue for 2023. We went through Formula 4 and Formula Regional with increasingly impressive results together, and his run in FRECA shows how competent and outstanding he has become as a driver. The 2023 season will be a key step in shaping the rest of his career and there is great promise. We are willing to support Dino in making a positive impact right from the start, and we will work as hard as possible throughout the winter months.
PREMA Racing has confirmed one driver for their Formula 3 2023 season, with Paul Aron making the step up to the series.
The Mercedes Junior driver, has driven for PREMA almost exclusively since his single-seater debut in Italian F4 back in 2019. Since then, he returned to the outfit for his Formula Regioanl European Championship by Alpine efforts in 2021 and ’22, most recently achieving a P3 finish in the drivers standings last season.
The 18 year old, currently sits third in the Championship on 176 points, with four victories and a further two podium finishes to his name in 2022.
As a member of the Mercedes F1 Junior driver set-up, Aron will complete the remaining races of the 2022 FRECA campaign before turning his attentions to F3 and the 2023 season with the PREMA team.
I am very, very happy, excited, and thankful to join a team like PREMA in the FIA Formula 3 Championship for the 2023 season. They proved themselves year after year, always having three cars on top and showing great pace. I am delighted to spend another year with them, and I am confident they will give me the best possible package to fight for the win. I am really looking forward to seeing what we will be able to achieve next year.
Aron said.
We are extremely delighted to continue working with Paul. We have always been aware of his winning potential, and we think he will keep producing impressive runs in the future, even in a very competitive and highly-challenging environment like Formula 3. It will be a learning year, but we are sure there will be many chances to challenge for high-profile results, so our goal is to push right from the winter preparations to be ready for 2023.
Trident has confirmed Gabriel Bortoleto as their first recruit for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 campaign, with the rookie joining off the back of a successful post-season test with the team in Jerez and is the first driver to be announced for next season.
Currently competing in Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, the 17 year old has one win, three podiums to his tally across the first eight rounds. Earlier this year he also took home a victory in Formula Regional Asian Championship at Yas Marina.
Prior to stepping up to FRECA, Bortoleto finished fifth in Italian F4, claiming one win, five podiums and two pole positions along the way.
Topping the time sheets on Day 2 of post-season test for the Italian team, Bortoleto also recorded the fastest overall time from the three-day event around the Spanish circuit.
I am extremely delighted for the chance to compete in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship with a high-level team like Trident Motorsport. I would like to thank every member of the team for the warm welcome I have been given. I feel ready for a new chapter in my career and to move to a higher series in single-seaters. I will put my best effort to make the most of this great opportunity.
Bortoleto on his move.
We are proud to welcome a promising driver like Gabriel Bortoleto to our line-up. He needs no introduction as he has been extremely competitive since his karting days and is now collecting impressive results in the FRECA championship as well. We are sure that by joining the Trident Motorsport family, Gabriel will receive solid support from every team member and prove his value and qualities.
Maloney had a great launch off the line and got alongside Alexander Smolyar into Turn 1 to take the lead on the inside. Martins managed to clear Stanek into the first corner after making use of the tow.
A safety car was deployed on the opening lap after contact between Villagomez and Vidales at the second Lesmo with both ending up in the gravel and out of the race. The green flags were back out entering Lap 4 and race leader Maloney went halfway down the back straight.
The PREMA Racing drivers weren’t taking things easy against one another. Leclerc managed to re-pass Bearman on the first lap back to racing, using the exact move the Briton pulled on him at the start.
Isack Hadjar wasn’t having a good feature race and found himself well out of contention. He was relegated to 14th by Reece Ushijima on Lap 11 into Turn 1.
The Safety Car was back out on Lap 16 after Kush Miami and Brad Benavides crashed out of the second Lesmo. The debris and barrier repair required the red flag, with five laps of the 2022 season to go. As things stood at the red flag, Martins held the lead of the Championship with Maloney 2nd and Bearman third. As the drivers sat in the pitlane it was confirmed that the race would not restart whilst Martins was simultaneously handed a five second time penalty for exceeding track limits.
The classification was taken from count back which meant with Martins’ time penalty applied and a further penalty for track limits violation for Alatalo taken into account, the Frenchman finished P4, the 12 points for fourth ensured he had enough to seal the Driver’s Championship.
The full top 10 are- P1: Maloney, P2: Bearman, P3: Crawford, P4: Martins, P5: Leclerc, P6: Stanek, P7: Alatalo, P8: Edgar, P9: Hadjar and P10: Ushijima.
The Championship-
With the feature race results, Victor Martins takes the 2022 Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship on 139 points. Zane Maloeny and Oliver Bearman rounded out the top 3 in the standings on 134 and 132 points.
PREMA Racing secured the Teams’ Championship ahead of Trident in P2, and ART Grand Prix keeps third.
A massive congratulations to Victor! A well deserved Championship for the Frenchman, hopefully we get to see him graduate to Formula 2 next year! But overall, a massive congratulations to all the title contenders, amazing season by them all!
Oliver Bearman hit the ground running at Monza, finishing the opening session of the Championship-deciding weekend fastest of all. Isack Hadjar also looked quick out of the starting gates, ending up just a fraction off the top spot. Arthur Leclerc made it two PREMA Racing drivers in the top three in third.
With heavy rain overnight and into the morning, Free Practice got underway in damp conditions as drivers headed out onto the circuit. Rafael Villagomez was the first to suffer a spin, pirouetting out of Turn 2.
With half an hour to go, Juan Manuel Correa led the way on 1:50.513 narrowly ahead of Alexander Smolyar and Zak O’Sullivan. A virtual safety car was deployed briefly for the Jenzer Motorsport of Frederico Malvestiti, who had a temporary halt at pit exit.
Entering the final 10 minutes, the track hit the crossover point. Martins shot to the top by four tenths until Gregoire Sacuy and Oliver Bearman dipped into the 1:47s with five minutes to go.
Bearmans next lap was almost a second quicker as the track continued to dry out rapidly in the final moments. Vidales, Martins and then Edgar each the took the top spot in quick succession before Bearman restored his name to the top of the times on 1:44.873.
Qualifying-
Alexander Smolyar claimed pole position for MP Motorsport after a qualifying session interrupted by a significant red flag. Isack Hadjar crashed out of qualifying midway through the session which saw him end up 16th.
In the title race, Zane Maloney led the way, qualifying second for Trident ahead of teammate Roman Stanek in P3. Victor Martins, Arthur Leclerc and Oliver Bearman followed nose to tail, fourth,fifth and sixth on the grid with Jak Crawford ended the session eighth for PREMA.
The title contenders took two of the three top spots following the first laps, Stanek first ahead of Hadjar in P2. Leclerc slotted into seventh after a huge snaps of oversteer out of the second Lesmo.
As the third laps filtered through, Hadjar looked set to take the fastest lap with two good sectors. Through Parabolica, he ran wide, picked up gravel and then spun into the barriers and bringing out the red flag.
The full top 10 are- P1: Smolyar, P2: Maloney, P3: Stanek, P4: Martins, P5: Leclerc, P6: Bearman, P7: Alatalo, P8: Crawford, P9: Edgar and P10: Marti.
Day 2-
Franco Colapinto won the Monza Sprint Race from pole position, winning ahead of Oliver Bearman after the PREMA Racing man put in a great drive to secure P2. Collet, ended up P3 after holding off a number of threats behind for a podium result.
Martins, Hadjar and Leclerc all had contact at some point during the Sprint Race and fell down the order, it was Bearman though who secured the best result to give himself a real chance of the championship.
The Safety Car came out on lap 4 after Zak O’Sullivan came unstuck into Turn 1. Missing his braking point, he had to take avoiding action to steer clear of his teammate and tagged the barriers as a result.
Hadjar’s title hopes suffered another blow on the restart after he damaged his front wing in contact with Maini. He was forced to pit for a new one on Lap 10.
The full top 10 are- P1: Colapinto, P2: Bearman, P3: Collet, P4: Maloney, P5: Edgar, P6: Saucy, P7: Crawford, P8: Leclerc P9: Marti and P10: Martins.
Jordan's Track Talk 