Brad Benavides delivered a stunning Qualifying performance at the Belgian GP in Spa-Francorchamps to secure his first-ever pole position in the F3. Against the backdrop of one of motorsport’s most iconic and challenging circuits, the American driver rose from deep in the order to top the timesheets in a session marked by drama, unpredictability, and congestion.
In a season that has shown glimpses of Benavides’ raw potential, his performance at Spa felt like a breakthrough—a combination of skill, timing, and composure under pressure. Remarkably, he surged from 24th to 1st during his pole-setting lap, making it one of the most dramatic climbs in recent memory.
Aura farming at it's finest ❄️
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) July 25, 2025
A historic @aramco Pole Position for Brad Benavides and @AIX_Racing! 👏#F3 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/vyfATNUJ1p
Pole in Spa a pleasant surprise
By his own admission, this result came as a pleasant surprise. While speaking to the media, including Pit Debrief, during the post-Qualifying press conference, Benavides said, “I never really expected to come in here and do that, but in all fairness, it is only one up on Austria. But, as I said last time I never really approach races with expectations, but this is definitely a good shock, so I expect the unexpected.”
Benavides had shown signs of growing form earlier in the season, particularly when he qualified second at the Red Bull Ring. That performance marked a clear step forward, and taking pole at Spa further underlined his upward trajectory in the competitive F3 field. However, he made it clear that the session at Spa had been far from straightforward.
“Qualifying here was really hectic. I was P17 after the first run, and then I had really good tow, and that obviously put me in contention today, but fun, I would not put it as fun, because I was a bit stressed, I was thinking there is no way I am qualifying 17th again. But thankfully, I had a really good tow and made it happen. But not very fun. It was just a good accomplishment.”
Learning from the past
Reflecting on his previous front-row start at Spielberg, Benavides noted that the experience had provided valuable insights, although he acknowledged that Spa poses a very different set of challenges. He suggested that those lessons could influence his approach to Sunday’s Feature Race.
“We went on the triple tyre strategy for Quali and everyone else was on used and I was on fresh and in terms of the first five laps, it made a difference then and that is when I lost all the positions. When I was sort of settling into a rhythm, in the DRS train, I was out of the points.”
Benavides pointed out that the characteristics of Spa differ significantly from those of the Red Bull Ring, adding that adaptability would be key in shaping his race strategy.
“It’s a completely different scenario, this track, completely different nature and will just look into it and focus.”
Spa: A track that brings Benavides’ best
Benavides also has a strong track record at Spa-Francorchamps. He claimed two victories at the Belgian circuit in Euroformula Open last season and scored his first FIA Formula 3 points there back in 2022. When asked what makes Spa such a consistently successful venue for him, the American offered an honest—if somewhat elusive—response.
“I’m not a superstitious person, but I can definitely attest that all the results speak for themselves and my performances throughout the years in this track have been ultimately good. I don’t know why. I guess maybe it’s because it’s a momentum type of track, I don’t know.”
Despite his uncertainty, Benavides made it clear that Spa holds a special place in his heart.
“There’s no real technical answer to it, but it is my favourite track. And for whatever reason, if there is a technical answer somewhere through the lines there, I wouldn’t know what [it is], but I just love it more than any other track.”
With pole position secured and a strong track record behind him, Benavides expressed a sense of relief and satisfaction. He said, “I’m really happy, I guess. Now that it’s off my back, I can enjoy it. It’s definitely something that you can enjoy very much in hindsight, especially if you’re on my favourite track.”
Adapting to a rescheduled session
Qualifying was delayed until later in the day due to schedule disruptions caused by heavy fog ahead of the F3 Free Practice session at the Belgian GP. This altered both team preparation and track conditions. Despite the changes, Benavides adapted well, using the downtime to rest and remain composed ahead of the crucial session.
“Yeah, I got a mega nap. I just napped like three times today. And to be fair, on a technical aspect, again, I wouldn’t really know what changed much to me. It was just like, ‘OK, well, offsets of time, and that’s pretty much it.’ I don’t know about you guys. It was pretty much like that. It was just delayed, and that was it. There was no tyre thing or anything involved, to me, at least.”
Interestingly, Belgian GP marked the second time this season that Benavides faced disruptions to the F3 weekend schedule. He drew attention to the pattern during the press conference.
“I’ve been here sat twice already, but coincidentally, the two times I was sat here, there’s been something going on with Free Practice. Remember in Austria, we only did one lap? Free Practice, we only did one lap in Austria, and then here, it was postponed, so at least we did a Free Practice. Something, I don’t know about you guys, but superstition, you know, will be coming up.”
Spa superstitions… 👻✨
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) July 25, 2025
Brad has got a point to be fair! 👀#F3 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/RcKyNWo5HE
Pressure in the final moments
The session saw significant traffic and congestion in the final moments, with several drivers unable to improve. In response to a question from Pit Debrief, Benavides described how he managed the pressure during both push laps.
“The first push, I had a mega tow. So I was like, my engineer was actually talking to me after I crossed sector one. He was like, ‘you’re probably close to sector one, mate. Come on.’ And then after I crossed sector two, he was like, ‘OK, you’re doing really good at sector two.’ I was like, coming down, you know, the last sector, like, ‘OK, you can keep it quiet now.’ And he actually told me just before the last chicane, he was like, ‘all right, let’s keep it together. Don’t mess it up.’ I was like, ‘what the heck?'”
“Mob mode” and mayhem
While the first Qualifying lap at the Belgian GP delivered F3 pole, it was the second attempt that became a surreal spectacle—one Benavides will not forget anytime soon.
“And then in the second push, you know, when F3 decided to go mob mode and we were all like, I almost got sandwiched like four times in a single lap. It was crazy. I don’t know about you guys. I’ve never experienced that. I was here last year, but it wasn’t like that. Oh my God. Well, that’s crazy, honestly.
As drivers scrambled for clean air and last-ditch improvements, the lap devolved into near anarchy. The combination of high closing speeds, desperation, and poor visibility created a situation where contact seemed almost inevitable—but somehow, the field escaped without incident.
“But as soon as I saw it was that much havoc, I was like, ‘yeah, bro, this isn’t that bad.’ I mean, nobody’s going to be improving after doing what they did on that, you know, cool lap.”
At that point, Benavides made a snap decision—to trust his banker lap and stop pushing unnecessarily in the melee.
“So I was just, honestly, in my mind, I was like, ‘yep, this is a good time to enjoy it.’ Like, never say never. But I was like, ‘yeah, this is it.’”
Chaos from the cockpit
While it is easy to view Qualifying from the outside as just fast laps and sector times, Benavides’ description of his second push lap offers a visceral sense of the conditions drivers faced in those final moments.
“It was fun, actually, the second push. I was like overtaking cars. People were overtaking me. People were locking up. I swear, I don’t understand how to this day, right now, people didn’t crash. I don’t understand how they didn’t crash. It was crazy. You guys should have been in my shoes to witness what I witnessed. There was, like, lockups everywhere. Like, I swear, it was crazy.”
While the F3 Belgian GP Qualifying chaos threatened to derail many drivers’ chances, for Benavides, it became the moment he realised pole might just be his.
Dealing with troublesome track limits
Track limits are always a key point of concern at Spa-Francorchamps, especially given the circuit’s high-speed corners and limited runoff in several areas. Benavides acknowledged that he was conscious of leaving a slight margin in one of the most demanding parts of the lap.
“To be honest, the only place where I left a little bit of extra margin is Pouhon,” he said. “But Pouhon is scary within itself. And then you have the track limits.”
He emphasised that elsewhere on the circuit, he felt confident in pushing the limits without overstepping them.
“Other than that, there’s no other margin left on the table—until the track limits—that I was conscious of, really. So just Pouhon.”
Eyes on the weather
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Feature Race, changing weather conditions could pose an additional challenge. Weather forecasts suggest a potential for rain during the Feature Race at Spa, a factor that could significantly influence tyre strategy, visibility, and overall race management. While the prospect of a wet race F3 Belgian GP Feature Race adds uncertainty, Benavides made it clear he would prefer dry conditions, citing limited recent experience in the wet.
“I want it to be dry, because I didn’t have that experience in Silverstone, unfortunately, mate. So, yeah. I wish it could be dry, but whatever comes, comes. Murphy’s Law, right. I will be sure that I will, you know, approach it accordingly, whatever comes.”
A testament to teamwork
In Austria, Benavides had praised his team’s efforts following a front-row start at the Red Bull Ring. After taking pole position at Spa, his appreciation remained just as strong—if not stronger.
“Yeah, I guess, like I said, technically it’s only one up on Spielberg. Nicer,” he reflected. “But ultimately, we just focus on the gap, right? If I’m on pole, great. If there’s a gap, well, what is it? Where do we have to work?”
While acknowledging the symbolic value of securing his first F3 pole at the 2025 Belgian GP, Benavides placed greater emphasis on the collaborative effort behind it.
“We were proud then, and I am very proud of them now—especially. So it’s a greater testament, of course, but it’s just one position up, right, on Spielberg. So I’m almost equally as proud—both being very proud of them.”
Looking ahead to the weekend
Benavides will now aim to convert his F3 Belgian GP pole into a strong points haul the at a track that has consistently brought him success. Whether in dry or wet conditions, the opportunity is one he clearly relishes. While he continues to underplay expectations, his performances in recent rounds show growing confidence and composure—qualities that could make a significant difference in the business end of the season.
