AIX Racing have confirmed that Brad Benavides is set to return to the team for the 2026 Formula 3 season – completing their driver lineup for the upcoming campaign.
Benavides had a stellar 2025 F3 campaign with AIX, achieving two pole positions in Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, achieving a best finish of P4 at the Italian venue’s Feature Race.
This came a year after the American driver won the 2024 Euroformula Championship thanks to his 19 podiums, which included nine wins.
Benavides is now set to return for another campaign in Formula 3 with AIX, and at the announcement, he thanked the team for their support.
Can’t thank AIX enough for their continued support. Can’t thank God enough for not giving up on me/my love for racing. One truth is reality, and another truth is that dreaming is always worth it. With only Love, BB. Benavides on the news.
Very proud to close off our driver line-up for 2026 and to do so with Brad is the cherry on top! Brad brings to the team many fine qualities as a driver and is a real team player who has supported his team mates previously and has a very strong work ethic. I’m stoked to have him as my brother again for another season and look forward to working hard over the winter together to convert that qualifying pace that we know Brad can deliver into a strong and consistent race performance as we all witnessed in Monza. Kenny Kirwan, AIX Racing Team Manager.
Ugo Ugochukwu was the one to beat in the final Practice session of the season, the PREMA Racing driver’s last lap of the session putting him on top of the timesheets.
The American’s 1:38.473 was quickest of all, over a tenth clear of Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov and PREMA teammate Noel Leon.
The session got underway with Theophile Nael setting a 1:41.780, putting him over a tenth ahead of home favourite Brando Badoer. But then came the Italian’s teammate Ugochukwu and Leon, with the former going to P1 on a 1:40.455, while the latter settled for second, 0.229s behind.
Nael then took P1 back with a 1:40.084, eclipsing Leon’s improved time by 0.116s as MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti rounded out the top three.
However, with nearly 20 minutes gone in the session and after setting the fastest first sector, Roman Bilinski spun into the barrier at the Ascari chicane, bringing out the Red Flags.
Running resumed with 16 minutes to go and there were several changes near the top of the field as Rafael Camara went fastest on a 1:39.346, with Martinius Stenshorne following him across the line to end up 0.242s off the 2025 Champion.
The Hitech TGR driver then improved to a 1:39.189 on his next lap to go fastest. But just as he did that, many of the teams opted to bring their drivers into the pitlane to swap the carry-over Medium tyres to the Softs.
On the first runs it was Callum Voisin that went fastest on a 1:38.721, with Nael and Nikola Tsolov in second and third all within a tenth of the Rodin Motorsport driver.
But they were able to push on for another lap on the Softs and this time it was Ugochukwu that took P1 on a 1:38.473, beating Tsolov by 0.128 with his teammate Leon in third.
Qualifying-
Group A
Nikita Johnson and Roman Bilinski were the first ones out of the pitlane at the green light, with the rest of the field joining them out on track with over five minutes to go.
Rafael Camara’s only lap put him P1 with a 1:38.520, just 0.093s clear of Ugo Ugochukwu, with Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak in third.
Alessandro Giusti, Tim Tramnitz and Callum Voisin, having been at the front of the field, were the only ones able to continue on for a second lap. But just as they did that, Camara’s time was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 5.
Giusti then completed his lap to go P4 ahead of his MP Motorsport teammate, while Voisin wound up 10th in the group.
This let Ugochukwu on top of the group and on provisional pole with a 1:38.613. Inthraphuvasak was 0.013s behind in second, with Bilinski third.
Group B
The next set of 15 made their way out on track immediately at the green light with 1:38.613 the time to beat for pole.
Noah Stromsted was quickest after the first set of laps on a 1:38.647, just 0.014s ahead of PREMA’s Noel Leon with Theophile Nael in P3.
Mari Boya then went to P1 but was quickly beaten by Charlie Wurz and then Tuukka Taponen, who was on provisional pole with a 1:38.502s, as Martinius Stenshorne went 0.058s behind in P2.
The Hitech TGR driver was the only member of the field not able to push on for a third lap and there were several improvements, before Benavides took a second pole of the season with a 1:38.120s.
Leon was second in the group ahead of Nikola Tsolov, and Matias Zagazeta, as Taponen and Stenshorne slipped to fifth and sixth respectively.
Mari Boya got his weekend off to the best possible start by topping a rescheduled Free Practice session at 2:06.111.
The Campos Racing driver was immediately out front on his first attempt as everyone looked to make the most of the shortened 30 minute session.
Boya set the early pace on a 2:06.111, 0.4s ahead of teammate Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak in an early 1-2 for the Spanish team.
Ugo Ugochukwu disrupted that on his second attempt, moving up to second, 0.3s down on the best effort, but there were plenty more improving behind him.
Martinius Stenshorne went second soon after and to within 0.121s of Boya’s earlier effort, while MP Motorsport’s Bruno del Pino moved himself up to third just over a tenth adrift of the Spaniard.
After a brief spell in the pit lane, the track got busy once again inside the final 10 minutes. There were several personal bests logged but nobody could dislodge Boya from the P1 spot.
Stenshorne and del Pino finished second and third ahead of Ugochukwu, with Inthraphuvasak completing the top five.
Qualifying-
AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides earned his and the team’s maiden FIA Formula 3 Aramco Pole Position Award late on in a thrilling Qualifying session.
The American found time on his final attempt to record a 2:04.253 and beat Championship leader and TRIDENT driver Rafael Camara to the to spot, with Rodin Motorsport’s Callum Voisin in third.
With the first runs in the books, Camara hit the front with a 2:05.557 to set the pace ahead of Ugo Ugochukwu by 0.234s.
Practice pace-setter Mari Boya had been in the top five but lost his opening effort to exceeding track limits after running over the white line at Pouhon.
Drivers remained on circuit for another attempt on their first set of tyres and there were improvements in the top 10. Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak closed the gap to Camara in second, with Alessandro Giusti third on his next attempt for MP Motorsport.
Everyone returned to the pit lane with half the session remaining for a fresh set of the Pirelli Medium tyres.
One of the drivers to go early on the second run was Theophile Nael, who went fastest on a 2:05.508. Van Amersfoort Racing Teammate Santiago Ramos improved to third, 0.172s down on the Frenchman’s laptime.
With the rest of the grid back out for their next set of laps, Boya led the train and put in a personal best, but track evolution was huge, leading to a massive improvement in times.
Benavides delivered a 2:04.253 for the provisional top spot with three minutes to go. Camara also made an improvement but could not better the time of the American driver, settling 0.106s behind in second.
A squabble for track position ended when Ugochukwu moved to the head of the queue for the final attempts with less than 30 seconds to go and with almost the entire grid looking to start their final lap as late as possible.
However, nobody could find an improvement, leaving Benavides with pole for the Feature Race on Sunday, his and AIX’s first in the championship.
The top 10 are- Pole: Benavides, P2: Camara, P3: Voisin, P4: Bilinski, P5: Stenshorne, P6: Ugochukwu, P7: Tsolov, P8: Inthraphuvasak, P9: Wurz and P10: Del Pino.
PHM Racing by Charouz have announced that Brad Benavides and Roy Nissany will be joining the team for the 2023 Formula 2 season, following a successful post-season test in Yas Marina.
Stepping up to F2 after his rookie Formula 3 campaign, American-Spanish racer Benavides earned a points-scoring finish for Carlin in the Spa-Francorchamps Sprint Race.
The 21 year old has experience competing in Formula Renault Eurocup, the Formula Regional European Championship and the Euroformula Open Championship, with his best finish being 13th in the 2021 Euroformula Standings.
I firstly want to greatly thank my main sponsor AIX Investment Group, it’s an honor to have the trust and backing of such a successful organization. I am tremendously grateful that they’re helping me to get one step closer to my life’s dream. I’d also like to thank PHM Racing by Charouz for this amazing opportunity, I’m genuinely very motivated, happy, grateful, and completely dedicated so that this next year goes as well as possible. Until now, for me it’s been a path with great challenges. In the face of adversities my spirit is to fight and come out at the top, something that has best defined me in my career. I’m already concentrated on preparing myself in the best possible way before the season starts, looking to really maximize the time I’ve got.
Brad Benavides on his new seat.
Nissany completes their line-up, switching from DAMS after two seasons and his most successful F2 campaign yet, having scored eight points finishes. Nissany currently has one podium to his name and will be hoping to add to that tally in 2023.
It is a very good news that I will race with PHM Racing by Charouz. The tests we have done together last week showed some good potential, and I also have good memories from our previous experience together a few years ago. I can’t wait to get back in the car and start this new adventure. Next season is going to be long and demanding, and I’m already thrilled to race at those 14 amazing venues being part of the 2023 calendar.
Nissany on his new team.
The pair showed great pace throughout the three-day test at the Yas Marina Circuit, achieving five top 10 appearances across the six sessions.
I’m very happy and excited to share the news of the agreement we reached with Brad and Roy after the very positive three days of testing we had in Abu Dhabi last week. We’ll have a very strong pair next year, with an expert driver and a young talent with so much potential, I’m sure they will be a good suit for the team and that we’ll be able to give them the chance to express their speed and skills on track during the next season. I would also like to thank AIX Investment Group for playing an important part in this, we really can’t wait for March to come.
Brad Benavides will be making his Formula 3 debut with Carlin this year, alongside fellow rookie Zak O’Sullivan.
The American-Spanish spent the first half of last season in the Formula Regional European Championship before switching to Euroformula Open in the second half of the year where he finished in the top 10 in eight out of nine races with Carlin.
The British team then ran him in their Formula 3 machinery on Days 1 and 3 of post-season testing, where he impressed to earn a deal.
The 20 year old, made his single-seater debut at the end of 2018, in the final two races of the Euroformula Open Championship at Barcelona, before opting to run in Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019, after a year out in 2020. Benavides returned to Europe with a seat in Formula Regional European in 2021.
“I’ve been a die-hard fan of racing my whole life, and I now have in my hands the greatest opportunity I’ve ever had,” said Benavides. “I feel like, at the same time, my greatest achievements are closer than ever. I am going to give my maximum effort this season and make it one to be proud of.”
Racing Director Trevor Carlin added: “Brad is still a very young driver at the start of his career. Making the step up to FIA F3 in only his second season in Europe will be a big learning curve but Brad has a fantastic attitude both in and out of the car. We’re delighted he has chosen to stay with the team for this next step in his career and we can’t wait to get started with testing later next month in Bahrain.”
Jordan's Track Talk 