Rashid Al Dhaheri is looking to maximise his preparations for the 2027 FIA Formula 3 Championship as he prepares to make his debut with Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR). The Emirati driver has already completed post-season testing at Jerez and Barcelona, where he began adapting to the F3 machinery and developing his relationship with the Dutch team.
The Mercedes Junior Team driver will step up to F3 following a successful 2026 Formula Regional campaign, during which he secured three victories and eight podiums on his way to fourth in the championship. Having confirmed his move to VAR for 2027, Al Dhaheri will join returning drivers Enzo Deligny and Yevan David, making him the only rookie in the team’s line-up.
Al Dhaheri aims to learn from experienced VAR teammates
Having completed his first two tests with VAR, Al Dhaheri expressed satisfaction with the team’s early progress. However, he acknowledged the significant step from Formula Regional to F3 and emphasised the importance of learning as much as possible before the opening round.
The Emirati driver hopes to benefit from the experience of Deligny and David, both of whom competed in F3 during 2026. Rather than focusing on outright lap times during testing, Al Dhaheri believes understanding the car and developing a strong working relationship with his new team will prove more valuable.
“It’s quite a step from last year, so it will be very exciting to get to know the team, to get things together and start working. I think the work is going in the right direction and I’m happy with the choices we’ve made.
“There’s a lot of experience for me to gain. At this moment, it’s just about learning, understanding, and using my teammates who are second-year drivers, to gain as much as I can from them, and I think at the end, the performance is there.
“So we’re starting from a strong point, we just need to build from here. The lap times and the positions and the tests don’t mean anything. It’s just what we get out of it, which is the key. That’s where our focus is.
Testing provides opportunities to learn ahead of 2027
Al Dhaheri has already begun establishing a foundation with VAR during the Jerez post-season test and subsequent running at Barcelona. The two events provided opportunities to explore the car’s characteristics, evaluate different approaches and become familiar with the team’s engineering procedures.
Reflecting on his early preparations, Al Dhaheri highlighted the importance of experimenting during testing. He believes making mistakes and understanding their consequences now will help him anticipate challenges during the competitive season.
“The team is very important, so the team will and they are giving some really good information.
“At the end of the day as well, it’s important to kind of make mistakes or kind of try things now so that later in the season, you already know what’s going to happen or you’re able to anticipate certain things.
“Both are key, the team, the overall experience and just learning a bit from the drivers and teammates.”
Tyre management emerges as biggest challenge in F3 transition
Although Al Dhaheri already has considerable single-seater experience, his early running in F3 machinery at Jerez and Barcelona has introduced new challenges.
The 18-year-old identified tyre management as the biggest difference between F3 and the categories he previously competed in. In particular, he stressed the importance of bringing the Pirelli tyres into their operating window and maintaining their performance throughout a stint.
“Driving-wise, it’s a car like any other. There’s four wheels, an engine and a steering wheel.
“The main difference is on the execution, how you get the job done with the warm-up of the tyres and how you can bring them into the window and actually use them in that window.
“It’s all about the tyres, that’s the biggest difference. There’s some tyre degradation, so it becomes a little bit more complex, but the fundamentals stay the same, which I think is positive. You just need to fine-tune them.”
While the fundamentals of driving remain familiar, Al Dhaheri recognises that extracting consistent performance from the tyres will require further work. His understanding of tyre preparation and degradation will therefore remain a priority as he continues adapting to the championship.
Al Dhaheri plans intensive winter preparations ahead of rookie season
With post-season testing complete, Al Dhaheri will now turn his attention to preparing for the opening round of the 2027 championship. The Mercedes junior intends to make full use of the winter break rather than taking an extended period away from racing-related activities.
Alongside physical and mental preparation, he plans to continue studying data and working in the simulator to strengthen his technical understanding of the car. These preparations will allow him to build on the experience gained during testing before returning to the cockpit next year.
“I don’t really like time off, so I’ll be getting as many days as possible doing something. But yeah,you want to develop physically just to make sure that you’re at the right point.
“Also mentally, you need to get ready for the season, understanding what the key points to focus on are.
“Then, of course, technically, try to do a bit of sim work, really getting the ideas, studying, and then the exam starts only when you get back in the car.”
Having made an encouraging start to his collaboration with VAR, Al Dhaheri will aim to translate his preparations into competitive performances during his rookie campaign. Although he has already demonstrated his potential in Formula Regional, the next challenge will involve adapting that experience to F3 while continuing to learn from his teammates and engineers.
