Round 3 of the 2025 Eurocup-3 season at Circuit Paul Ricard once again transformed the shape of the championship. With three different leaders in as many rounds, the French event underlined the unpredictability and intensity of this year’s competition. After Portimão, Ernesto Rivera had emerged as the man to beat, but the 29-car field again produced fresh storylines.
In France, Kacper Sztuka delivered his long-awaited maiden series win, and in doing so, moved to the top of the standings. Mattia Colnaghi, after a difficult weekend in Portugal, rebounded strongly with victory in Race 1, becoming the first two-time winner of the season. Meanwhile, Garrett Berry seized the spotlight in the reverse-grid Sprint Race, taking his first Eurocup-3 win.
Further highlights included Francisco Macedo’s maiden podium, Emerson Fittipaldi Jr’s return to the top three, and consistent form from Rivera and Valerio Rinicella, both of whom remain firmly in the championship fight. At the end of the Paul Ricard weekend, the top four drivers are separated by just 14 points, setting up an enthralling run into the middle part of the season.
Qualifying 1: Rivera on pole after stunning performance
Friday’s opening qualifying session saw Ernesto Rivera stamp his authority with a superb performance. The Mexican, who had entered Paul Ricard as the championship leader, delivered a lap of 1:59.037, which proved unbeatable in the closing minutes. Rivera’s effort was his first Eurocup-3 pole position, and it set the tone for a weekend in which he aimed to consolidate his place at the top of the standings. Behind him, Mattia Colnaghi rediscovered pace after a subdued Portimão weekend, clocking a time only 0.172 seconds adrift. Just 0.182 seconds further back, Kacper Sztuka lined up third, underlining the tight margins among the leading contenders.
With three of the main championship protagonists filling the first three slots on the grid, anticipation was high for an intense battle into Turn 1. Further back, Valerio Rinicella and James Egozi rounded out the top five, both keen to use slipstreaming opportunities on the long Mistral Straight to gain ground at the start. Qualifying confirmed just how competitive the season has become, with the top ten covered by less than one second.
Race 1: Colnaghi snatches lead as Rivera falters
The opening race began with immediate drama as Rivera’s poor getaway from pole handed Colnaghi the lead into Turn 1. Behind them, chaos struck when Oscar Wurz and Alexander Abkhazava tangled and ended their races in the gravel at Turn 5, prompting the Safety Car. At the restart, Colnaghi wasted no time in pulling clear, demonstrating superior pace in the middle sector. Rivera remained close, pressuring his rival across the next ten laps, while Sztuka sat poised in third, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
On lap 14, Sztuka launched a bold move around the outside of Rivera at Turn 11 but ran wide, allowing the Mexican to hold position. The decisive moment came on the final lap, when Valerio Rinicella opportunistically dived past Sztuka for third at Turn 11. Moments later, Rivera made a costly mistake at Turn 14, running wide and dropping behind both Rinicella and Sztuka. Colnaghi crossed the finish line unchallenged, claiming a landmark second victory of the season. Rinicella’s calm drive earned him second, while Sztuka salvaged third after late drama. Rivera, despite his strong pace, was left frustrated in fourth.
Eurocup-3 Paul Ricard Race 1 Results
- Mattia Colnaghi
- Valerio Rinicella
- Kacper Sztuka
- Ernesto Rivera (Pole, Fastest Lap)
- Jesse Carrasquedo Jr
- Enzo Tarnvanichkul
- Maciej Gładysz
- Andrés Cárdenas
- Garrett Berry
- Jules Cantera
Sprint Race: Berry, Macedo and Fittipaldi Jr on the podium for the first time in 2025
The Sprint Race featured a reversed top grid, with Garrett Berry and Francisco Macedo lining up on the front row. At lights out, Berry executed a flawless launch, covering off Macedo into Turn 1. Behind them, James Egozi initially held third but was quickly passed by Emerson Fittipaldi Jr., who demonstrated excellent race craft.
The drama intensified when Alessandro Famularo suffered terminal damage after an incident at Turn 5, forcing the Safety Car to neutralise proceedings. Berry managed the restart with composure, immediately breaking the tow along the Mistral Straight to deny Macedo any chance of slipstreaming. Behind the leading pair, Maciej Gładysz attempted a move on Egozi but exceeded track limits in doing so, earning a 10-second penalty. This allowed Fittipaldi to solidify his podium position, while the American rookie focused on consolidating points. Berry, unflustered at the front, controlled the pace to record his maiden Eurocup-3 victory, a major milestone for the American. Macedo also celebrated his first podium with a hard-fought second, while Fittipaldi’s third marked his first return to the rostrum in 2025, a key confidence boost heading into the next rounds.
Eurocup-3 Paul Ricard Sprint Race Results
- Garrett Berry
- Francisco Macedo
- Emerson Fittipaldi Jr.
- James Egozi
- Valerio Rinicella
- Enzo Tarnvanichkul
- Mattia Colnaghi (Fastest Lap)
- Ernesto Rivera
- Kai Daryanani
- Kacper Sztuka
Qualifying 2: Carrasquedo loses pole to track limit violations
The second qualifying session produced another twist. Initially, Jesse Carrasquedo seemed set to take pole after stringing together two rapid laps. However, both times were deleted for exceeding track limits, dropping him down to 11th on the grid. This opened the door for Kacper Sztuka, who made no mistakes and delivered a 1:59.057 lap to secure pole position.
Valerio Rinicella, in superb form after his second-place finish in Race 1, was just 0.109 seconds slower and lined up alongside the Pole on the front row. Ernesto Rivera, determined to bounce back after his late mistake in Race 1, completed the top three. Colnaghi, by contrast, found himself starting further back after struggling to find clear air. The closeness of the session once again stood out, with the top three covered by only 0.208 seconds and the top ten within a second. Sztuka’s pole was crucial, as it gave him a prime opportunity to capitalise on momentum and fight for his long-awaited first Eurocup-3 victory.
Race 2: Sztuka claims first win in 2025
Sunday’s finale at Paul Ricard featured thrilling battles from the opening lap. Rinicella made the perfect launch from the front row to out-drag Sztuka into Turn 1, seizing the lead. Behind them, Rivera and Colnaghi went side by side through the opening complex, briefly going three-wide with Sztuka, before order was restored with Rinicella leading from Sztuka, Rivera, and Colnaghi. Further back, Andrés Cárdenas collided with Jules Caranta at Turn 11, causing both to spin. While they rejoined, Cárdenas later received a 10-second penalty for the contact.
At the front, Rinicella held his lead under immense pressure from Sztuka, who shadowed him lap after lap. By lap seven, Carrasquedo was making progress, climbing through the midfield and eventually challenging Colnaghi for fourth. In the closing stages, Sztuka launched a decisive move into the chicane on the final lap, finally overhauling Rinicella. The Polish driver crossed the line to take his first Eurocup-3 victory, a landmark result in his campaign. Rinicella finished a close second, with Rivera in third. Carrasquedo completed a strong recovery drive in fourth, with Colnaghi fading to fifth.
Eurocup-3 Paul Ricard Race 2 Results
- Kacper Sztuka (Pole)
- Valerio Rinicella
- Ernesto Rivera
- Jesse Carrasquedo Jr
- Mattia Colnaghi
- Maciej Gładysz
- James Egozi
- Emerson Fittipaldi Jr
- Alexander Abkhazava
- Oscar Wurz
Fastest Lap: Francisco Macedo
Sztuka capitalizes to overtake Rivera
The third round of the 2025 Eurocup-3 season at Circuit Paul Ricard reshuffled both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships, setting up one of the tightest title battles in recent seasons. Kacper Sztuka emerged as the new championship leader with 104 points, climbing from second after Portimão. His maiden Eurocup-3 victory in Race 2, combined with consistent podium form, allowed him to overtake previous leader Ernesto Rivera. Rivera, who had led on 66 points after two rounds, slipped to third on 99 following a late mistake in Race 1 that denied him another podium. Sharing second place on 99 points is Mattia Colnaghi, who rebounded from a challenging Portuguese weekend with victory in Race 1, becoming the first multiple-race winner of the season.
Valerio Rinicella also made significant progress, doubling his points tally from 48 to 90 after two strong second-place finishes, moving within striking distance of the lead quartet. Further back, Jesse Carrasquedo Jr. holds fifth with 62 points, while Maciej Gładysz, Jules Caranta, and James Egozi remain close behind. Garrett Berry’s Sprint Race triumph lifted him into ninth with 33, while Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. and Francisco Macedo both celebrated first podiums of the season to climb the order.
MP Motorsport extends lead
In the Teams’ standings, MP Motorsport extended its lead, moving from 124 to 209 points. Griffin Core by Campos advanced to second with 175, overtaking Campos Racing, now third on 159. Palou Motorsport (46) and Saintéloc Racing (33) complete the chasing pack. With the top four drivers separated by only 14 points, the championship battle remains finely poised heading into the next rounds.
Drivers’ Championship Standings after Eurocup-3 Round 3 at Paul Ricard
- Kacper Sztuka – 104 points
- Mattia Colnaghi – 99 points
- Ernesto Rivera – 99 points
- Valerio Rinicello – 90 points
- Jesse Carrasquedo Jr – 62 points
- Maciej Gładysz – 53 points
- Jules Cantara – 48 points
- James Egozi – 46 points
- Garrett Berry – 33 points
- Enzo Tarnvanichkul – 29 points
- Francisco Macedo – 17 points
- Emerson Fittipaldi Jr – 15 points
- Andrés Cárdenas – 15 point
- Alexander Abkhazava – 11 point
- Yani Stevenheydens – 10 points
- Kai Daryanani – 3 points
- Oscar Wurz – 2 points
Teams’ Championship Standings after Eurocup-3 Round 3 at Paul Ricard
- MP Motorsport – 209 points
- Griffin Core by Campos – 175 points
- Campos Racing – 159 points
- Palou Motorsport – 46 points
- Saintéloc Racing – 33 points
- KCL by MP Motorsport – 14 points
- GRS Team – 10 points
- Drivex – 2 points
