Bruno del Pino continued his impressive start to the 2026 FIA Formula 3 (F3) season with another podium finish in Monaco, inheriting second place in the Sprint Race following Hiyu Yamakoshi’s post-race disqualification.
The Van Amersfoort Racing driver has now scored points in every race this season and remains one of the most consistent performers on the grid. Speaking during the post-F3 Monaco Sprint Race press conference, with Pit Debrief in attendance, del Pino reflected positively on another strong result around the streets of Monte Carlo.
“Yeah, I’ve been really happy,” he said. “So far, so good. It’s been a great start to the season. Hopefully, tomorrow, I’ve managed to get points again.
“It’s just trying to maximise what we have, trying to get as many points as we can. I think two sprint podiums are good. Hopefully, I can get my Feature Race bronze quite soon. Maybe not here, because it’s quite difficult to overtake. But, yeah, I think overall, it’s been a great start, and I’m just trying to keep the momentum.”
Taking a measured approach
Although del Pino spent the opening laps of the 2026 F3 Monaco Sprint close behind race winner Gerrard Xie, he admitted that Monaco’s unique challenges made any attempt at overtaking too risky.
“Well, I mean, the thing is, it’s very difficult to overtake in Monaco,” he explained. “And then, if you’re not quite close a T10, a dive bomb is a bit of a suicide move. For one point, I was not going to risk everything. I did risk a bit in the first lap. So, I started with Rodin, which then came out beneficial for me.
“But then I just tried to maintain my position. And we knew that it’s just a long game for points. And for me, it’s not worth a risk again. My pace was good, I think I could have had a bit more in myself. But, yeah, at the end of the day, it’s Monaco. There’s no way to go except when you can, if you’re really close.”
With another top result secured, Del Pino has remarkably yet to finish outside the top four this season. However, he remains focused on scoring consistently rather than chasing championship calculations.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know. I think I start about eight, I don’t know. He followed, “I heard something else is coming as well tomorrow. Hopefully, I can start further in the front pack a bit. But, yeah, as I said, Monaco is very difficult.
“I’m trying to get a good start as I did today. Maybe get one, if not two, positions on the first four. But then just try to see if there’s anything important in front, that can benefit me, try to keep the composure and not make mistakes. And then, yeah, all the points that come tomorrow, that come into our championship will be good for me.”
VAR switch paying dividends
Following a difficult rookie Formula 3 campaign with MP Motorsport in 2025, Del Pino believes his move to Van Amersfoort Racing has allowed him to reset and unlock his potential.
“Yeah, I think for me, it’s been a great start. Following from last year, I struggled a bit. It wasn’t the very best rookie season I had, but yeah, coming towards the season, I really didn’t wish for a better start, just slacking a bit onto the future race podium, which I think for sure will come.
“But yeah, I think so far it’s been really good. We’ve maximised everything that we had on today. I’m just very happy. The team is happy. The drivers are happy. The admin is good. That’s where the work shows. I think so far, the three of us, we made the best qualifying yesterday, but for sure it’s always also up there. And I think we have a strong lineup, and it’s been shown so far.”
A different style of work between the teams
Asked specifically about the impact of changing teams and his consistency so far this season, Del Pino explained:
“Yeah, I think the change in teams was a bit necessary on my side, coming from a 13 F3, which I struggled more than I expected. I mean, the pace was always there, but the results weren’t.
“So when I joined the VAR, it was just a completely different style of work. And yeah, it was just a reset, you know, if I start from scratch. It’s been working good so far. I mean, MP is a great team and for sure they did really good things. But with VAR, it’s working good.
“And yeah, I think towards the championship, I’m not really thinking too much about it because there’s very strong drivers and very good teams like TRIDENT and Campos, which are difficult to beat over the 10 [sic.] rounds. But yeah, for me, it’s just maximising every chance that we have, trying to be consistent. Because at the end of F3, which is a championship where everything can go right one day and everything can go wrong the other day, it’s just trying to, you know, keep everything balanced.
“I think that’s where by the end of the season, we can catch as many points as possible. I think so far we’ve shown that not only we are, I am a different driver compared to last season, but also that we have the pace, not only in the qualifying, but also in the race.
“And I think I’ve shown that in Melbourne that I was fourth in the feature, but also very close to get another podium there and here as well with a third, and let’s see tomorrow. But I think, yeah, so far, I couldn’t ask for a better start and just try to keep it that way.”
Balancing risk and reward for del Pino
When asked by Pit Debrief about his mindset heading into Sunday’s Feature Race after the F3 Monaco Sprint, and the challenge of balancing risk versus reward from further down the grid, del Pino emphasised the importance of staying out of trouble.
“Yeah, for me, I start a bit more in front than both of them. I have a bit more chances to get a bit more points. Of course, you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow.
“But yeah, I think, regarding what’s going to happen tomorrow, I’m going to start in position. I start at P8, just trying to make a good first corner, which is basically the only chance or one of the only chances that you can have to really overtake.
“And then just from there, just survive the moment, trying to keep the tyres on a cool momentum and then just try to manage the gaps with the cars in front and back. Just for me, it’s just staying out of trouble, and if there’s other drivers in front of me that are getting into trouble, that I can come out beneficial, then I would be pleased more than welcome to.
“But for me, yeah, just trying to not make mistakes, not put it in the wall, which in Monaco is sometimes difficult. But yeah, I think what I’ve shown today, that we have the pace and that tomorrow, if we do things as today, we can also grab points, which by the end of the championship will be crucial.”
Monaco rewards survival
Like many drivers throughout the weekend, del Pino acknowledged that Monaco often becomes more about survival than outright racing.
“I mean, for me, we know what’s moving forward on tomorrow. Qualifying will be crucial because the chances to overtake are quite slim. So yeah, I think if you manage to do a good qualifying and you’re in the top 10 or top 12 for the reverse, that, you know, it’s a completely different weekend.
“You know, people, even as we saw today, risk it sometimes here and there, that can really likely [give you a] chance you to crash. So hopefully people learn from today and for me be a bit more relaxed for tomorrow. I don’t want to get in trouble. I just want to get points.
“But yeah, I think for me, one of those is this track where the qualifying, the turns, the full weekend. And last year I didn’t make the best qualifying, so I knew that it was going to be a completely different story compared to this weekend. But yeah, I mean, we know what Monaco stands for and we know the risk reward for trying to overtake this. And yeah, just trying to analyse what’s best for the driver.”
A more composed driver in F3 for 2026
Reflecting on his development over the past year, Del Pino believes he has matured significantly both on and off the track.
“Yeah, I mean, coming to a different season in the same category but with a different team, it’s obviously a different challenge,” he said in response to the question from Pit Debrief. “I think going from last year was a bit not in the best mood because it wasn’t the very best season.”
But yeah, I think I’ve worked and analysed really hard throughout the winter to try and see what went well, what went wrong. And I think so far we’ve shown the progress. We’ve shown the level that we really are and also with the team, we’ve been working really hard.”
It’s racing cars, basically, so you need to have a good team behind you, a good machinery to really push the limits. I think VAR is one of the good cars so far , we don’t know towards the end of the season, but so far we’ve had a really good start of the season.”
“And I think, yeah, just not a completely different driver because I’m still the same human being, but for sure much more composed, I think. That would be the words for me. For me, it’s just trying to bring in what I’m capable of, try to go more, try to go less, and so far it’s been showing.”
Managing tyres and adapting to Monaco’s chaos in the F3 Sprint Race
Tyre management was another important factor during Saturday’s F3 Sprint Race, although del Pino admitted that Monaco’s unique characteristics make it easier to control the pace from the front.
“Yeah, I mean, in Monaco, basically, you can go like a tortoise, you will not get overtaken.
“So, you know, it’s just trying to see what I want to achieve. I saw some people, in the Rodin car, I think, in the push and pull in a few times. So, because, you know, you’re not going to get overtaken because they may be too thin.
“So, I think learning from towards today, with a bit of grading in some tyres inside of the car, we know we can improve slightly for tomorrow. We also knew that the pace was there, but also, I have to look, I’m starting behind the Campos and the TRIDENT’s, and a few MPs, which, obviously, I think they’re going to be a bit quicker. But, I mean, I think we are up for the challenge.
“I think we showed me, Hiyu and Gerrard that we have a pace because we can escape from also the MPs today and all their strategy, what they were doing. But, for sure, it’s going to be a different world tomorrow. And I’m up for the challenge.”
Multiple safety cars and a red flag
The F3 Sprint Race featured multiple interruptions, including Safety Cars and a red flag, but del Pino explained that the stoppages did little to alter his approach behind the wheel.
“I mean, it’s Monaco,” he said. “You know, you’re not going to do a lot whether there’s a red flag, a thousand safety cars or not. But, you know, I was, you know, coming from the first lap, which I went around the outside, then the Rodin had just kind of jumped the corner.
“I was a bit in communication with my engineers to see what’s going to happen because I was in front. I was fighting for a P3 because if it wasn’t because of that, probably I wouldn’t be sitting here. But, yeah, I mean, it was the red flag and I was just told by my engineers what went well, what went wrong in case there was another start to see what type of clutch maps will be best, what went well.
“But, yeah, I mean, just be settled again, be focused because the race was going to continue and be mentally prepared. And I think we did a good job. It was not so difficult in terms of fighting, but it was difficult in terms that we have the walls very close. And that’s the difficult thing about Monaco.”
