Francisco Macedo described his first experience of FIA Formula 3 (F3) machinery as an unexpected but enjoyable opportunity after recording the fastest lap of Day 2 of the 2026 post-season testing at the Circuito de Jerez. The Portuguese driver received a late call-up from Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) but quickly adapted to the car, setting a 1:29.766 during Wednesday morning’s session.
Macedo finished 0.169 seconds ahead of teammate Enzo Deligny, securing a one-two for the Dutch outfit during the final day’s qualifying simulations. He subsequently finished second behind Rodin Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti in the afternoon, concluding the two-day programme with encouraging results.
Despite encountering difficulties during Tuesday’s running, Macedo praised the team’s efforts to resolve its problems overnight. The 18-year-old also highlighted the challenges of adapting to the F3 car, particularly its increased performance and more demanding tyre management requirements.
Late call-up produces fastest lap of Jerez test
Macedo entered the Jerez post-season test with limited preparation after receiving an unexpected invitation from Van Amersfoort Racing. Although he had previously competed with the team in Formula Regional, the two-day event represented his first opportunity to drive FIA F3 machinery.
The Portuguese driver endured a difficult opening day, finishing 29th in Tuesday morning’s session before improving to 25th during the afternoon. However, work completed with his engineers overnight helped resolve the issues and establish a more competitive foundation for Wednesday.
Macedo subsequently recorded a 1:29.766 during the final day’s qualifying simulations, securing the fastest lap of the entire test. Deligny followed in second, with Rodin Motorsport’s Pedro Clerot completing the morning’s top three.
Reflecting on his unexpected participation and rapid improvement, Macedo expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress.
“It was a bit of an unexpected test,” Macedo said. “I actually received a late call. I tried to prepare myself as best as possible, and today I managed to get a P1 in the morning, P2 in the afternoon.”
The Portuguese driver credited the team for overcoming the previous day’s difficulties and allowing him to finish the test with significantly improved performance.
Macedo enjoys first experience of FIA F3 machinery
Beyond his position on the timesheets, Macedo highlighted his enjoyment of driving the F3 car for the first time. Having previously competed in Formula Regional machinery, he immediately noticed the differences in performance, particularly under braking and through high-speed sections.
The Portuguese driver spent much of the test adapting his driving style to the car’s additional capabilities, with the Circuito de Jerez providing a demanding environment in which to develop his understanding.
“It was my first time in the F3, and it’s completely different to the FREC that I am used to driving,” Macedo explained.
“It has a lot more speed, a lot better braking, and I just had a blast.”
His familiarity with Van Amersfoort Racing also helped ease the transition. Macedo competed with the Dutch outfit in the 2026 Formula Regional Middle East Trophy and Formula Regional European Championship before the partnership concluded ahead of the final two FREC rounds.
Despite the unexpected nature of the opportunity, his previous experience working with VAR’s personnel allowed him to settle into the team environment without needing to establish entirely new relationships.
“I already knew everyone and I felt very comfortable since day one with the team and of course with the car too,” he added.
Tyre management presents significant challenge
Although Macedo adapted quickly to the car’s outright performance, he identified tyre management as one of the most demanding aspects of his first F3 test.
The Portuguese driver explained that his previous single-seater experience had largely involved championships using one tyre compound during a race weekend. However, the Jerez test featured both medium and hard compounds, requiring him to adapt his approach to preparation, performance and degradation.
“It was a big challenge because in my previous categories, it was always a one-compound tyre,” Macedo explained.
“So here we had two compounds and also the tyre life is a lot shorter. I had to be a lot more on it from the first lap.”
The different tyre characteristics also presented challenges during longer runs, where maintaining consistent pace became more difficult as degradation increased.
Macedo acknowledged that he needed to adjust his driving to manage the tyres effectively rather than relying solely on outright pace. The experience proved particularly valuable during Wednesday afternoon’s race simulations, when teams prioritised extended runs over qualifying performance.
“Then also the race runs were a bit more tricky, with more tyre degradation. I just had to adapt and learn as much as possible.”
When asked whether he had mastered the tyres by the conclusion of testing, Macedo responded light-heartedly.
“Actually I managed to survive at least to the end.”
Van Amersfoort Racing secures strong conclusion to Jerez
Macedo’s performance provided an encouraging conclusion to the opening post-season test for Van Amersfoort Racing. The Dutch outfit occupied the leading two positions during Wednesday morning’s session, with Deligny recording a 1:29.935.
The pair finished ahead of Clerot and Reza Seewooruthun, who completed third and fourth for Rodin Motorsport. Campos Racing’s Mattia Colnaghi rounded out the top five after another competitive session.
Macedo subsequently finished second in the afternoon, recording a 1:31.401 as teams concentrated on race simulations and longer runs. Giusti topped the session with a 1:30.322, while PREMA Racing’s Jin Nakamura completed the leading three.
The result marked a significant turnaround for Macedo, who had struggled to establish competitive lap times during Tuesday’s running. His progression demonstrated how quickly teams could improve their performance during testing, particularly when resolving technical issues and refining their understanding of the car.
However, the different testing programmes made it difficult to establish a definitive competitive order. Although Macedo finished with the fastest overall lap, teams used different tyre compounds, fuel loads and run plans as they prepared for the 2027 championship.
Barcelona provides next opportunity for FIA F3 development
Macedo’s performance concluded a successful introduction to FIA F3 machinery following his previous campaigns in Formula 4, Eurocup-3 and Formula Regional.
The Portuguese driver began racing single-seaters in 2024 before progressing through Spanish F4 and Eurocup-3. His subsequent move into Formula Regional provided experience with more powerful machinery, although the Jerez test represented another significant step in his development.
His participation at Jerez was confirmed as a testing opportunity rather than a full-season race agreement, with Van Amersfoort Racing continuing its preparations for the upcoming championship.
The 2026 FIA F3 post-season testing programme will conclude at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 26–27 October. Teams will use the final two days to gather additional data and evaluate their preparations before the winter break.
For Macedo, the unexpected opportunity has already provided valuable experience and a competitive result. Having overcome a difficult opening day to set the fastest lap of the test, he leaves Jerez with a stronger understanding of FIA F3 machinery and the challenges involved in competing at the next level of single-seater racing.
