AIX Racing concluded the 2025 FIA F3 Championship in ninth place with 52 points, marking a clear improvement on its debut campaign the previous year. Although the team again finished outside the top eight, it increased its points total significantly and strengthened its position in the lower midfield. However, while the numbers reflected progress, the underlying story revealed a season shaped by constant change, interrupted momentum, and unfulfilled potential.
Across ten rounds, AIX Racing combined flashes of front-running pace with long stretches of inconsistency. As a result, the team delivered a campaign that demonstrated resilience and development, yet also exposed the structural challenges facing a young operation still searching for stability.
A young team still finding its feet
AIX Racing entered the 2025 season as one of the newest teams on the FIA F3 grid. Based in the United Arab Emirates, the team began competing in Formula 2 and F3 only in 2024 after acquiring PHM Racing’s operations. In its first F3 campaign, AIX finished ninth in the Teams’ Championship with 35 points, establishing itself as a backmarker-to-midfield outfit rather than an immediate contender.
Consequently, expectations for 2025 remained conservative. The team aimed to build on its first season by improving consistency, increasing its points tally, and gradually closing the gap to more established midfield rivals. However, limited continuity and ongoing operational changes continued to shape its competitive ceiling.
AIX Racing finished ninth once again in the 2025 F3 Teams’ Championship, this time with 52 points. This outcome placed the team 38 points behind eighth-placed Hitech TGR on 90 points, while also leaving it comfortably clear of DAMS Lucas Oil in tenth with 30 points. Importantly, the team improved its total by 17 points compared to 2024, underlining a step forward in overall competitiveness. Nevertheless, AIX struggled to sustain momentum across consecutive rounds, often following strong weekends with point-less outings.
Peaks, valleys, and missed momentum
The season opened strongly in Melbourne, where Nikita Bedrin delivered AIX Racing’s most productive weekend of the year. His haul of 17 points immediately set a competitive benchmark and accounted for nearly one-third of the team’s final total. However, this early momentum did not translate into sustained form.
In Sakhir, Freddie Slater added further encouragement by finishing second in the Sprint Race on his F3 debut. Yet, subsequent rounds exposed the fragility of AIX’s structure. Retirements, penalties, and driver changes repeatedly interrupted progress, particularly during the European leg of the season.
Mid-season events such as Spielberg and Silverstone highlighted the team’s inconsistency. While qualifying performances occasionally placed cars near the front, race-day outcomes frequently unravelled due to incidents or reliability issues. Similarly, Spa-Francorchamps presented a missed opportunity. Brad Benavides secured pole position in mixed conditions, but the cancellation of the Feature Race due to poor weather limited the reward to two points.
By the season finale in Monza, AIX again showed its potential. Benavides converted pole position into a fourth-place finish in the Feature Race, delivering the team’s strongest result of the second half of the year. However, these moments remained isolated rather than transformative.
Rotation and uneven contributions
Driver instability emerged as the defining characteristic of AIX Racing’s 2025 campaign. The team rotated more drivers than any other outfit, particularly across Car #26 and Car #28, which undermined continuity and preparation.
Brad Benavides emerged as the team’s highest-ranked driver, finishing 20th in the standings with 18 points. Although his season began with penalties and retirements, he improved steadily, especially in Qualifying. His pole positions at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza underlined his one-lap speed, while his fourth-place finish in the Monza Feature Race represented his strongest F3 result to date.
Nikita Bedrin made an immediate impact in Melbourne, scoring 17 points in a single round. However, his brief tenure limited his overall contribution despite his strong start. Freddie Slater also impressed in his sole appearance with a second-place Sprint finish in Sakhir, highlighting untapped potential that AIX could not retain.
James Hedley contributed seven points across several rounds and delivered a notable fourth place in the Budapest Sprint. Nevertheless, injury disruptions and his subsequent move to Van Amersfoort Racing curtailed his influence. José Garfias and Fernando Barrichello each appeared briefly and did not score points.
Nicola Marinangeli endured a difficult full season in Car #27. Despite completing most races and showing determination, persistent qualifying deficits left him starting deep in the field. As a result, he concluded the year without points and finished near the bottom of the standings.
Highlights in an inconsistent campaign
Several moments stood out amid an otherwise fragmented season. Bedrin’s Melbourne performance provided early optimism, while Slater’s Sprint podium in Sakhir showcased the team’s ability to capitalise on opportunity. Benavides’ pole laps at Spa and Monza represented AIX’s strongest displays of outright pace, particularly under pressure.
In addition, Hedley’s fourth place in the Budapest Sprint demonstrated that the team could execute a clean weekend when circumstances aligned. However, the cancellation of the Spa Feature Race and multiple retirements elsewhere prevented these highlights from forming a coherent narrative of progression.
Forward steps, familiar challenges
In conclusion, AIX Racing’s 2025 FIA F3 season reflected gradual improvement rather than a decisive breakthrough. The increase in points and competitive flashes confirmed the team’s upward trajectory, yet persistent driver rotation and inconsistency continued to limit its ambitions.
While ninth place once again defined the final standings, the context differed markedly from 2024. AIX no longer appeared outmatched, but instead incomplete. Looking ahead, sustained driver continuity and operational stability will likely determine whether the team can convert isolated highs into consistent midfield performance. Until then, AIX Racing remains a developing force, advancing steadily but still searching for firm footing in FIA F3.
