The 2026 FIA Formula 3 (F3) Championship Melbourne GP Round at the Albert Park Circuit marked the first opportunity for the new grid to properly measure themselves against the competition heading into the season.
Among the teams fighting towards the front, Van Amersfoort Racing and Campos Racing emerged from the opening round with strong points hauls across their line-ups, with VAR leaving Melbourne leading the Teams’ Championship on 40 points, while Campos sat closely behind on 27.
Although the Melbourne round took place back in March, the cancellation of the Bahrain round has left a long break before racing resumes. Across the 2026 opening weekend, several F3 drivers stood out through outright pace, racecraft and consistency, while others showed the value of second-year experience in the category.
With the Monaco GP round approaching in early June, it is worth revisiting the opening round of the 2026 season and looking at which drivers could carry this momentum into the championship fight.
Ugo Ugochukwu leads the championship after dominant Melbourne weekend
Ugochukwu arrived into Melbourne carrying strong momentum after winning the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT) earlier in the year in New Zealand. The extra mileage and race experience gained during the off-season clearly translated immediately into F3 pace, with the American leaving Australia not only with the Feature Race victory, but also leading the Drivers’ Championship.
In Friday’s Qualifying session, Ugochukwu narrowly missed pole position, finishing only 0.021 seconds behind teammate Théophile Naël. While he missed out on starting from the front, it ultimately made little difference once racing began.
During the Sprint Race, Ugochukwu steadily worked his way toward the points-paying positions. However, the heavy collision between James Wharton and Louis Sharp caused major barrier damage and led to the race being abandoned early, meaning reduced points were awarded. Ugochukwu was one of several drivers unlucky to miss out under the shortened classification.
The Feature Race was where he truly showcased his pace and composure. Although Freddie Slater initially jumped ahead at the start and Naël led the opening stages, Ugochukwu quickly fought back. By Lap 2, he overtook Slater at Turn 9 to reclaim P2 before soon dispatching Naël for the race lead.
Once out front, the Campos Racing driver controlled the race confidently, building a substantial advantage before a late Safety Car neutralised the field. Even with the interruption, he handled the restart cleanly and ultimately crossed the line to secure his maiden FIA F3 victory.
With the American already adding the CTFROT title to his résumé earlier in the year, Melbourne reinforced that Ugochukwu could become one of the standout drivers of the 2026 season.
Freddie Slater opens 2026 campaign strongly for TRIDENT
Slater was another driver who entered Melbourne with valuable experience from New Zealand after finishing runner-up to Ugochukwu in the 2026 CTFROT standings. The British driver had already built a reputation for his raw speed across junior categories, including strong performances in Formula Regional competition and an impressive showing around the streets of the Macau Grand Prix last year.
That pace immediately translated into FIA F3, with Slater qualifying P3 during Friday’s session and placing himself firmly in contention for the Feature Race.
The opening laps of Sunday’s race highlighted exactly why many rate Slater so highly. Launching aggressively off the line, he overtook Ugochukwu around the opening corners to move into P2 behind Naël. Although Ugochukwu reclaimed the position a lap later, Slater remained firmly attached to the leading group throughout the race.
When the Safety Car was deployed following Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi crashing at Turn 12, Slater stayed close to Naël at the restart but was unable to immediately find a way through. Later in the race, Nicola Lacorte began applying pressure from behind, but Slater’s tyre management and race experience allowed him to maintain position while still staying within striking distance of the podium battle.
His persistence paid off on Lap 20. Running within DRS range of Naël, Slater executed a clean move at Turn 9 to secure P2, capping off an excellent opening weekend for both himself and TRIDENT.
Across the Melbourne weekend, Slater demonstrated not only outright pace, but also maturity in race management and consistency under pressure. With confidence already building from the start of his 2026 campaign and momentum carried over from New Zealand, he looks set to remain a serious contender heading into Monaco and beyond.
Del Pino claimed his maiden FIA F3 victory
Bruno del Pino’s start to the 2026 F3 season showed a noticeable shift in both confidence and consistency compared to his rookie campaign for the driver. Although he only qualified P12 at Albert Park Circuit, the Spaniard made the most of the reverse-grid Sprint Race opportunity.
Starting from pole position, del Pino controlled the race from the front and handled the pressure behind him well, leading throughout the interrupted Sprint Race to secure his maiden FIA F3 victory. The result also delivered a 1-2 finish for Van Amersfoort Racing alongside teammate Enzo Deligny.
He backed up the Sprint Race success with another strong drive in Sunday’s Feature Race. Starting further down the order, del Pino steadily worked his way forward while avoiding incidents and penalties around him. By the chequered flag, he had climbed to P4, giving him one of the strongest overall points hauls across both races during the weekend.
Across Melbourne, del Pino looked far more comfortable and composed compared to last season, particularly in race situations and tyre management. His preparation over the off-season, combined with a different mindset entering his second FIA F3 campaign, already appears to be paying off.
If he can continue converting opportunities into consistent points, del Pino could become one of the key contenders throughout the 2026 season.
Deligny secures his first F3 podium in his first F3 race
Enzo Deligny enjoyed an impressive first weekend in the 2026 FIA F3 Championship at Albert Park Circuit, immediately showing strong pace and confidence in his debut appearance with Van Amersfoort Racing.
The French driver made an instant impact in Saturday’s Sprint Race, where he secured his maiden FIA F3 podium in his very first race in the category in 2026. Finishing P2 behind teammate Bruno del Pino, Deligny helped deliver a standout 1-2 result for VAR in Melbourne.
He backed that performance up again in the Feature Race on Sunday, where he continued to show strong racecraft and consistency across the longer race distance. Despite the chaotic conditions and multiple incidents throughout the field, Deligny stayed composed and crossed the line in P6, securing another valuable haul of points.
Across both races, Deligny proved he is not afraid to fight aggressively when opportunities appear. His racecraft, willingness to commit to overtakes and ability to capitalise on situations around him made him one of the standout rookies of the weekend.
For a driver entering his first FIA F3 round, it was a confident and mature start to the 2026 season, with Melbourne already suggesting Deligny could become a regular contender for points and podiums throughout 2026.
Naël secures pole position at the Albert Park Circuit
Théophile Naël was one of the standout drivers across the opening round of the 2026 F3 Championship season at Albert Park Circuit, showcasing impressive one-lap pace and race speed throughout the weekend.
The Campos Racing driver secured his maiden FIA F3 pole position in Friday’s Qualifying session with a 1:34.187, narrowly edging teammate Ugochukwu by just 0.021 seconds to lock out the front row for Campos.
Naël carried that speed into Sunday’s Feature Race, where he held the lead off the start and remained firmly in the fight at the front during the opening stages. Even after losing the lead to Ugochukwu, he stayed within the leading battle and looked set for a strong podium result.
However, his race unravelled after the stewards handed him a five-second penalty for a false start after being judged to have moved before the lights went out. With the race later finishing under Safety Car conditions, Naël had no opportunity to build a gap to cover the penalty, dropping him outside the points in the final classification.
Despite the disappointing result, Melbourne still highlighted Naël’s raw pace and qualifying speed. Across the weekend, he consistently looked like one of the quickest drivers on track, and if he can avoid costly mistakes moving forward, he has the potential to become a regular contender at the front throughout the 2026 season.
