Campos Racing enjoyed a highly encouraging start to the new season during the opening round in Melbourne. However, while the team celebrated strong results on track, one of its full-time drivers could only follow the action from the sidelines. Mexican rookie Ernesto Rivera was replaced by Patrick Heuzeroeder for the opening 2026 F3 event after sustaining a back injury during the final phase of pre-season preparations in the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Trophy (CTFROT).
Rivera on the mend after injury forces Melbourne absence
The injury ruled him out of the first round of the campaign and forced the Red Bull Junior Team driver to delay his F3 debut. For a young driver preparing for his first full season in the championship, the timing proved particularly unfortunate. Nevertheless, Rivera has approached the setback with patience and determination, focusing on his recovery while keeping a close eye on developments within the team.
Reflecting on the past few weeks, Rivera explained that the recovery process has gradually improved his condition, even though being unable to race has been difficult to accept.
“I feel much better now. It’s been a tough couple of weeks not being able to race, but I’m feeling much better now,” he explained to Formula 3.
Intensive rehabilitation programme as Rivera targets return to racing in 2026 F3 Championship
Soon after the injury occurred, Rivera returned to Mexico in order to begin a structured rehabilitation programme under medical supervision. The aim was to accelerate his recovery while ensuring the injury healed properly before he resumed racing activities.
The young driver described how his days quickly became centred around treatment and physiotherapy, with a demanding routine designed to restore strength and mobility.
“I went to Mexico to see my doctor and everything, and I was going to physiotherapy three hours a day. Every day I’ve been getting a little bit better.”
Although progress has been steady, Rivera acknowledged that the early stages of recovery placed clear limits on what he could physically do. For several weeks, he had little choice but to slow down and allow his body to heal before gradually reintroducing training activities.
“I cannot do much. Like two-and-a-bit weeks ago, I started to do a little bit of gym work, a little bit of swimming, a little bit of biking. But there’s not too many things to do, just sitting on the couch, watching Netflix, watching everyone race.”
Even so, those small steps back into training have marked an important stage in his return to full fitness.
Staying involved with Campos and Red Bull
Although he has been away from the circuit, Rivera has remained closely connected to both Campos Racing and the Red Bull Junior Team. Rather than stepping away from the racing environment completely, he has taken the opportunity to stay engaged with the technical side of the programme.
Throughout the Melbourne weekend and the weeks surrounding it, Rivera participated in team meetings and debrief sessions, allowing him to remain informed about the car’s development and the team’s progress during the opening phase of the season.
He explained that maintaining regular contact with engineers and analysing the team’s performance has helped him continue learning even while he cannot drive.
“I’ve been speaking to my team recently, Campos and Red Bull, trying to keep in contact. I’m in all the debriefs, asking a lot of questions as they are in their second year. So also trying to learn as much as possible. And it’s interesting to see things from the outside.
“I’ve been analysing a lot of data, seeing what the common mistakes in Free Practice are, what’s the evolution through Qualifying and the races, trying to learn as much as possible.
“I haven’t been very frustrated because I know there’s not much I can do. I just was trying to heal the best as possible and to heal well.”
This analytical approach has allowed Rivera to turn an unfortunate situation into a learning opportunity, giving him additional insight into how the team operates during a race weekend.
Observing teammates’ performances
Watching the opening round from the outside also provided Rivera with the chance to study the performances of his teammates, including Ugo Ugochukwu and Théophile Naël. Both drivers already possess experience within the championship, and their performances offered valuable lessons for the rookie.
In particular, Rivera highlighted the team’s execution during qualifying as one of the most impressive aspects of the Melbourne weekend.
“It seems that the team executed really well in Qualifying. You can see the experience they both have on their last lap, especially Théo, he was under a lot of pressure and he executed really well. So that has been very impressive.”
From Rivera’s perspective, observing those moments under pressure has helped him better understand the level of precision required in F3.
Rivera focused on a full comeback and return to the cockpit for 2026 F3 campaign
As Rivera continues his recovery, his focus has shifted toward preparing for the moment he can return to the cockpit. Regaining physical strength remains the immediate priority, but mental preparation and simulator training will also play a crucial role in rebuilding race readiness.
With time still available before his next appearance, Rivera plans to use simulator sessions to sharpen his reactions and re-establish the rhythm required for competitive racing.
“Now, I’m trying to get fit again, recover a little bit of muscle and also prep mentally. I’ll do a lot of simulator to get back in the rhythm and I’m looking forward to being back to 100%”
For the Mexican driver, the objective remains clear: return fully fit and ready to compete when the opportunity arises later in the season.
