Ernesto Rivera secured the biggest result of his FIA Formula 3 career on Saturday at the Red Bull Ring, claiming his maiden Sprint Race victory after an intense battle at the front of the field during the 2026 F3 Spielberg Round.
The Campos Racing rookie fought hard to overcome James Wharton before controlling the closing stages of the race, delivering his first podium and first win in Formula 3. While the result marked a major milestone in his rookie campaign, Rivera believes it is also confirmation that the pace he has shown in recent rounds is finally translating into results.
Speaking in the Post-Sprint Race press conference, attended by Pit Debrief, Rivera reflected on the confidence boost that comes with standing on the top step of the podium after a difficult start to the season.
“Yeah, it feels really good. It was a very tough race but it feels great to have my first podium and win here in Red Bull Ring. ”
Making the winning overtake
Rivera spent several laps tucked behind Wharton before finally making his move for the lead. Reflecting on the battle, he admitted patience was crucial before committing to an overtake.
“Yeah, we had contact in lap six or seven. I don’t know really but we had a little bit of contact. Then I stayed behind him, tried to make the same move three times and on the third time it worked. I braked as late as I could, even went into first gear and got the move done.”
While Turn 3 is often the preferred overtaking opportunity at Spielberg, Rivera revealed Turn 4 proved to be the better option.
“Yeah, I think so because Turn 3 he always defended and I wasn’t close enough to pass him in the outside so turn four even with the DRS being a bit closer to him I think that was the best opportunity. ”
Rivera’s confidence growing from his maiden F3 victory
When asked by Pit Debrief on what the result means beyond the silverware and points, Rivera believes his maiden F3 podium in the Spielberg Sprint Race validates the pace he has shown in recent rounds while also providing valuable experience for Sunday’s Feature Race.
“Yeah, I think I’ve had the pace since Monaco to be on the podium. Just didn’t put it really together, both in Monaco and in Barcelona. And here, obviously, it’s good to be on the podium. It’s a boost of confidence. And honestly, I learned a lot for tomorrow about tyres, DRS and stuff. So yeah, that’s the main thing for today.”
With three consecutive DRS zones, the Red Bull Ring produces some of the closest racing on the Formula 3 calendar, something Rivera experienced throughout his fight with Wharton.
“Yeah, as Pedro [Clerot] said, the three DRS zones are like, you gain a lot of time being in DRS. Me, behind James [Wharton], I was behind him a couple of laps trying to not push as much and stay with him in the DRS, he said.
“Then after I passed him, yeah, I started to push him more, but he could stay with me with the DRS because the effect is so much.”
Rivera explained that remaining inside DRS can completely change the complexion of the race.
“At the end, I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if he made a mistake or what. And you can see that. As soon as you drop out of DRS, you are super vulnerable, as Pedro said.
“It’s amazing to race here because of the DRS, the tyres. There’s a lot of tyre drop.”
Support from Campos and his team mates
When asked by Pit Debrief about missing pre-season testing in Barcelona and the opening round in Melbourne through injury, and how Campos Racing’s support and the experience of teammates Ugo Ugochukwu and Théophile Naël have helped his rookie season, Rivera was full of praise for both his team and the Red Bull Junior Programme.
“Yeah, I missed pre-season test in Barcelona and first round in Melbourne. And yeah, I’ve had mega support from Campos and from Red Bull. They didn’t pressure me to do the first race as I wasn’t able to. And I could still go watch and learn. So yeah, I’ve had amazing support from both Campos and Red Bull.“
Rivera also credited his experienced Campos teammates for helping him settle into Formula 3, adding that he has regularly sought their advice throughout the season.
“And I’ve learned so much from my teammates. They’ve been very supportive with me. I sometimes ask for advice as they are on their second year. And I think they’re one of the greatest on the grid.”
A dream result at Red Bull’s home circuit
Victory at the Red Bull Ring carried extra significance for Rivera as a Red Bull Junior.
“It’s super special to win here in Red Bull Ring,” he said. “When I was on the podium, I could see some Red Bull guys taking pictures and I felt super special. It’s a dream, honestly, getting on the podium and winning here in Red Bull Ring.”
Rivera added that the circuit already held fond memories after claiming a podium there during his Eurocup-3 campaign.
“I raced here last year in Eurocup and got a podium and already felt special. And yeah, winning here, it’s amazing.”
He also reflected on what it means to compete in front of the Formula 1 paddock while representing both Mexico and Red Bull.
“It’s also super special to be here because Checo is here. I’m a big fan of him. So it’s super special to share the track with him, being in the Formula 1 paddock and also live these moments, be on the podium.”
Eyes on Sunday’s Feature Race
With overtaking expected to play a major role once again in Sunday’s Feature Race, Pit Debrief asked Rivera how much confidence his F3 Sprint Race victory and the lessons learned around in Spielberg could give him heading into the weekend’s highest-scoring race.
The Campos Racing driver explained that, while victory was the ultimate objective, another key goal was to gather as much information as possible on tyre degradation, slipstreaming and DRS.
“Yeah, a goal for me for today was to, apart from winning, to learn a lot for tomorrow as there is the big points tomorrow,” Rivera said. “We could see last year that the guy that won came from 15 or 14.
“The podium guys were inside the top 12, so yeah. my goal was to learn as much as possible, see how the tyre deg is and to see how the following is, how the DRS effect is. So yeah, that was also one of my main goals for today.
Rivera was also asked about a significant late-race lock-up while defending from James Wharton, and how much it compromised his tyres during the closing laps of the F3 Sprint Race in Spielberg.
“Yeah, I have a big lock-up, two or three laps to go,” he explained. “I tried to push the braking a little bit more. As I could see on the mirror, he was gaining on the braking.”
“But, yeah, tyres weren’t in the best condition. I locked up and then on the next straight I could already feel the flat spot and took it a bit careful into T4.”
“If you have two or three of those, your tyres are gone. So, already with one I could feel the vibrations on the steering wheel. So, it’s a thing to keep in mind for tomorrow.”
