Ireland and Hitech’s Fionn McLaughlin faces a big step up heading into the 2026 F3 season. The 18-year-old has moved up from F4 following his first year in single-seaters in 2025.
It was an impressive debut in racing cars as the driver from Derry won the British F4 championship thanks to a very consistent season.
Racing in Formula Regional Oceania championship in New Zealand last month, the Red Bull junior got a taste of the Tatuus FT-60. While it’s not the same car as Formula 3, it gave him another idea of how much more powerful and faster a car is at a higher level.
McLaughlin had already tested the 2026 F3 car at Jerez last year, before more running in Barcelona last week.
Fionn McLaughlin says work to do on qualifying performance ahead of 2026 F3 season
Having done six days of F3 testing and the Formula Regional Oceania championship where he finished 13th in points, McLaughlin has his eyes on improving qualifying in response to a question from Pit Debrief during a media session. The Pirelli tyres are notoriously tricky to perfect for rookies.
“Yeah, for me I also did New Zealand and it was good to get the race going again and get the cobwebs off heading to F3.
“But for me, it’s just focusing on one lap pace in qualifying. I think it’s very difficult to maximise the lap on the new tyre in F3 and comparing to F4 it’s a big difference.
“I’m slowly working on that. And yeah, it’ll be good […] hopefully soon for Melbourne and I can keep chipping away at it through the season.”
The enormous challenge the Irishman is undertaking
With all of his fellow drivers having raced in either the Formula Regional European championship, Eurocup-3 or GB3 before moving to F3 last year or this year, Fionn McLaughlin is very much on the back foot when it comes to experience at this level.
He is, however, fully aware of the monumental task ahead. It’s why his target is to keep chipping away at things by working extremely hard and trying to get some good results in this campaign.
“Yeah, it’s definitely going to be tough. There’s no doubt about that.
“It’s not going to be an easy season and for me to do good I’m going to have to work as hard as I have ever before.
“And results wise I just focus on doing the best job I can. Every driver wants to win which is obviously the goal. But for me it’s just to maximise what I have and maximise the job I can do.
“And for the least experience I have in cars it’s going to be a very, very tough season, but I’m going to work hard behind the scenes and try my best to get a few results in the season.”
Staying with Hitech for the 2026 F3 season
Just like fellow Irish driver Alex Dunne in 2022, Fionn McLaughlin won his British F4 title with Hitech last year. Unlike the Offaly man, he will remain with the team in F3.
The 18-year-old was full of praise for Hitech. He also feels it will make the big step a little bit easier.
“Yeah, it’s definitely it’s less of a change […] moving from F4 to F3 and then staying in the same team which helps a lot.
“It’s quite easy for me. We’re basically a family now and to stay with such a close environment and the same people that you work with is quite amazing.
“So yeah, the step from F3 is going to be tough and it makes it a lot easier being with Hitech.”
The growth of Motorsport in Ireland and trying to follow Alex Dunne’s path
Ireland has been a massive boom in drivers coming through karting in recent years and managing to make it into single-seaters.
When James Roe started in Indy Lights/Indy NXT, it was a unique scenario in the modern era. Now, it’s a different story.
This year will see the immensely talented Alex Dunne in F2 once again as he looks to fight for the championship. He will be joined by Fionn McLaughlin on select Grand Prix weekends when F3 races with F2 and F1. Alex O’Grady, Jason Smyth and Conor Grant are also on the GB4 grid.
It’s a huge transformation for a country where Motorsport has not got a massive following.
Asked about helping put Motorsport on the map in Ireland, Fionn McLaughlin is urging fans to get behind Irish drivers this year as he attempts to replicate the success and rise of Dunne.
“Yes, I think it’s a good start.
“I mean, we’re a small country. It’s not many people here. And in single-seater motorsport, we don’t have much.
“Obviously seeing Alex Dunne do well, he’s the benchmark and you’re trying to follow in his footsteps.
“I think so far we’re doing good. I think we just need to keep working.
“And the people from home need to keep supporting and believing in us. We’ll definitely do our best to show how good we are.”
