The Formula 3 Championship is holding its second post-season test this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with a grid that (unlike previous years) is already nearly complete, with only 4 of the 30 seats for next season still to be confirmed.
Campos Racing
Campos Racing has confirmed its lineup for the 2026 season with three young talents: Ugo Ugochukwu, Ernesto Rivera, and Théophile Nael. The team, current constructors’ champion, is betting on a mix of continuity and renewal to defend the title.
Ugochukwu, an 18-year-old American, will face his second year in the category after a promising debut with two podiums. Euro 4 champion in 2023 and Macau GP winner in 2024, he arrives with experience and ambition to fight for the title.
Rivera, a 16-year-old Mexican and member of the Red Bull Junior Team, will make the jump to F3 after a strong season in Eurocup-3, where he claimed three victories. His rapid progression and support from the Red Bull program position him as one of the most promising talents from the Americas.
Nael, a Frenchman, will return with Campos after a solid 2025 season, finishing eighth with three podiums. Known for his adaptability and consistency, he enters his second year aiming to establish himself among the front-runners.
Trident
Freddie Slater, Matteo De Palo, and the returning Noah Stromsted are the drivers Trident presents for 2026, forming an ambitious and balanced lineup for the new campaign.
Slater will make the full step up to F3 after an intense 2025, where he competed in two rounds and reached the podium in Bahrain. Italian and UAE F4 champion in 2024, and runner-up in FR Middle East in 2025, he has collected eight wins across GB3 and FRECA this year and currently leads the European championship.
De Palo, also 17, arrives in F3 after a strong season with TRIDENT in the Formula Regional European Championship, where he sits second with four wins and four additional podiums. His stint in Spanish F4 in 2023 already showcased his potential, and now he continues his path within the same structure.
Stromsted, for his part, will tackle his second year in the category after a promising debut: three podiums, a win at Spa, and a sixth-place finish in the championship. The Dane is confident that the experience gained will allow him to fight for the title in 2026.
MP Motorsport
MP Motorsport will contest 2026 with three drivers who combine continuity, emerging talent, and clear international projection: Tuukka Taponen, Alessandro Giusti, and Mattia Colnaghi.
Taponen, a member of the Ferrari Academy, switches teams after a very solid F3 debut in 2025, where he secured three podiums and finished ninth in the championship. Champion of Formula Regional Middle East in 2024 and third in FRECA that same year, the Finn enters his second year in the category aiming to establish himself among the best, now under the discipline of a team he considers “one of the benchmarks of the championship.”
Giusti, meanwhile, will continue with MP after a positive rookie season, with two podiums and a tenth-place finish. French F4 champion in 2022 and a Williams Academy driver, the Frenchman has stood out for his adaptability and the bond he has formed with the team, which he himself describes as “a family.”
The third name is Mattia Colnaghi, newly crowned Eurocup-3 champion with one round to spare and a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. Spanish F4 champion in 2024 and with four wins this year, the young Italian will step up to F3 after two seasons of growth with MP, a team he considers key to his development as a driver.
ART Grand Prix
ART Grand Prix is one of the few teams yet to announce its full lineup, but they have officially confirmed the arrival of rookies Kanato Le and Maciej Gladysz.
Kanato Le will step up to F3 after two seasons in the Formula Regional European Championship with ART, where he has built a strong relationship with the team. The 18-year-old Japanese driver also competed this year in GB3, claiming one win and two podiums. With experience in British F4 and a steadily rising career, Le approaches the challenge with motivation and a deep understanding of the team’s internal dynamics.
Maciej Gladysz, meanwhile, will make his F3 debut after a standout 2025 in Eurocup-3, where he won the Winter Series title and added podiums and victories. The 17-year-old Polish driver was third in Spanish F4 in 2024 and boasts an impressive karting résumé. His move to ART marks a new chapter in a career progressing with solid momentum.
Taito Kato is the leading candidate to fill the team’s third seat. After winning the French F4 championship, the Franco-Japanese driver has competed this season in FRECA, securing two podiums and currently sitting ninth in the standings. In last week’s Jerez tests, he showed steady improvement, climbing from 21st on day one to 8th by the end of the sessions at the Andalusian circuit.
Van Amersfoort Racing
Van Amersfoort Racing will be the new home of the only Catalan driver in Formula 3 next year, Bruno del Pino, who will be joined by Hiyu Yamakoshi and Jesse Carrasquedo, both making their debut in the category.
Del Pino, 19, enters his second year in F3 after an inconsistent rookie season, with a second-place finish in the Imola sprint race as his best result, but a forgettable end to the campaign. Third in Eurocup-3 in 2024, he joins VAR eager to consolidate his position and bring competitive maturity.
Yamakoshi, an 18-year-old Japanese driver, steps up to F3 after two seasons of development with the team. He shone in Italian F4 and Euro 4 with four wins, and this year added two podiums in the Formula Regional European Championship. His upward trajectory and strong bond with VAR make him a solid bet for his debut.
Carrasquedo, an 18-year-old Mexican, completes the lineup after contesting two F3 rounds with VAR in 2025. With prior experience in Spanish and Italian F4, as well as FRECA and Eurocup-3, he now makes the definitive leap to the category with the goal of establishing himself on the international stage.
Rodin Motorsport
Rodin Motorsport presents three young and ambitious profiles for 2026: Brando Badoer, Christian Ho, and Pedro Clerot. The team is betting on a mix of continuity, emerging talent, and experience in intermediate categories.
Badoer, a 19-year-old Italian, will tackle his second year in F3 after a modest debut season with some standout moments, including sixth place in the Budapest sprint race. In 2025, he also finished fourth in Formula Regional Middle East and had seven podiums in FRECA the previous year.
Ho, from Singapore, also returns to the category after a positive rookie season, scoring points and achieving a fifth-place finish at Silverstone. Eurocup-3 champion in 2024 with six wins, Ho joins Rodin eager to continue evolving and make the most of the team’s competitive environment.
Clerot, an 18-year-old Brazilian, will debut in F3 after two strong seasons in FRECA, where he has claimed wins and podiums and currently sits fourth in the standings. Brazilian F4 champion in 2022 and with experience in Spanish F4, Clerot is considered one of the most promising talents from South America.
Prema Racing
PREMA Racing officially announced its third driver this morning: Louis Sharp, who joins James Wharton and Enzo Deligny. The Italian team, a benchmark in young driver development, is opting for a blend of continuity and renewal to remain among the frontrunners after a challenging year.
Sharp, an 18-year-old New Zealander, will enter his second year in the category after a debut season with several points finishes. British F4 champion in 2023 and GB3 champion in 2024, he arrives at PREMA determined to take a step forward and capitalize on the team’s winning environment.
Wharton, a 19-year-old Australian, also returns to F3 after a first season that included a sprint win at Spielberg and an 18th-place finish in the championship. With a solid track record at PREMA—runner-up in Euro 4 and FRECA, and champion of F4 UAE—he returns to familiar ground to continue growing within a structure he knows well.
Deligny, 17, will make his F3 debut after a strong season in FRECA, where he currently sits third with three wins. The Frenchman has also impressed in FR Middle East and at the Macau GP, and now takes on the F3 challenge aiming to continue his progression within a team that values his potential.
Hitech TGR
Hitech TGR has completed its lineup with three distinct profiles: Jin Nakamura, Michael Shin, and Fionn McLaughlin. The British team is betting on a combination of versatility and international experience.
Nakamura, a 19-year-old Japanese driver, steps up to F3 after competing in FRECA with ART, where he earned podiums and a win in FR Middle East. With a background that includes Japanese F4, Super Formula Lights, and Super GT, he joins Hitech as a Toyota Gazoo Racing program driver, ready to take on the European challenge.
Shin, a 21-year-old South Korean, returns to F3 after contesting six races in the 2023 season. Since then, he has raced in FR Oceania, Eurocup-3, and this year in Euroformula Open, where he is second with four wins. His return to Hitech, a team he has previously raced with, marks a new chapter.
McLaughlin, a 17-year-old Irish driver and member of the Red Bull Junior Team, will debut in F3 after a spectacular 2025: third in the Formula Winter Series and British F4 champion with five wins. His rapid progress and adaptability to top-tier circuits position him as one of the most exciting prospects on the European scene.
AIX Racing
Modest outfit AIX Racing was the first team to lock in its three seats for 2026, with the renewal of Brad Benavides and the arrivals of previously unknown names Fernando Barrichello and Yevan David.
Benavides, an American with Spanish roots, will continue with AIX after a standout 2025 season, which included two pole positions at Spa and Monza, and a fourth-place finish in the Italian feature race as his best result. Euroformula champion in 2024 with nine wins and nineteen podiums, he enters his second year aiming to convert qualifying pace into consistent race results.
Barrichello, a Brazilian and son of former F1 driver Rubens Barrichello, will make his F3 debut following a steady rise through the junior ranks: seventh in Brazilian F4, a stint in Spanish F4, and third in Euroformula Open in 2024. His debut at Monza marks the beginning of a new chapter with AIX, where he hopes to represent Brazil with strength and determination. He contested the final round at Monza, finishing 17th in the Sprint and retiring from the feature race.
David, from Sri Lanka, completes the lineup as the first driver from his country to compete in F3. With four wins and five podiums in Euroformula Open this year, and prior experience in Spanish F4, UAE F4, and Eurocup-3, he arrives in the category eager to make history and establish himself as an Asian reference point.
DAMS Lucas Oil
The French team remains the only one yet to officially announce its drivers for the season, but all signs point to the three who were present at both Jerez and Montmeló tests: Gerrard Xie, Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi, and Nicola Lacorte.
Xie, an 18-year-old Chinese driver, is expected to lead what was the weakest team this year. After a highly inconsistent season, he scored a single point with a tenth-place finish in the Hungarian Sprint, ultimately ending up 29th in the standings. His résumé includes the 2022 Chinese F4 championship title.
Lacorte, an 18-year-old Italian backed by Alpine, was one of the disappointments of the season, being one of only two drivers—alongside Nicola Marinangeli—to contest the full campaign without scoring a single point. At Jerez, he showed some promise, with a 13th-place finish as his best result in the afternoon session on day two.
Bhirombhakdi, a 19-year-old Thai driver, is expected to be the backmarker next season. Without any wins in his single-seater career, his best result is a fifth-place finish in the opening race at Barcelona this year in FRECA, where he currently sits 21st in the standings.
