DAMS Lucas Oil head into their second FIA Formula 3 campaign convinced they have made tangible progress after an assured 2026 F3 pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Across the three days, the French squad completed 601 laps — the fifth-highest tally of any team — while also demonstrating eye-catching one-lap pace when conditions peaked. Crucially, both Qualifying simulations and long-run work suggested a more refined package compared to 2025.
Qualifying simulations underline one-lap potential for DAMS in 2026 F3 campaign
When the track rubbered in on the morning of Day 2, DAMS immediately featured at the sharp end. Gerrard Xie controlled much of the session during qualifying simulations before finishing P10 with a 1:27.792. Nicola Lacorte followed closely, just thousandths adrift in P13.
Moreover, Day 3 reinforced that promise. Lacorte lapped within half a second of Théophile Nael’s benchmark in the morning, before asserting himself in the afternoon. The Italian surged to the top of the timesheets with a 1:29.676, leading a DAMS 1-2 as Xie slotted into P2.
Meanwhile, Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi prioritised mileage. The Thai driver logged 51 laps in the final afternoon segment alone, contributing to an impressive personal total of 213 laps across the test.
Reflecting on the team’s progress while speaking to Formula 3, Xie expressed confidence in the underlying balance of the car. He said: “It was quite nice. It seems like we have good pace. I think we nailed the setup, got it quite right and it’s good effort from the team.”
Technical gains mark clear evolution from 2025
Significantly, the optimism did not stem from headline lap times alone. Technical Director David Hache emphasised the structural improvements the team have implemented since their debut season.
“We have made some progress,” said Hache. “We’ve learned a lot of things since last year. We’re quite happy with what our drivers delivered and what the team delivered. “We spent a lot of time on all aspects of the car. On the mechanical side, on the engineering side, and also helping on the driver’s side.”
Therefore, the Barcelona programme focused not only on extracting performance but also on deepening understanding. Engineers explored mechanical refinements, optimised baseline setups and strengthened driver feedback processes — all areas that can translate into consistent race weekends.
Building on encouraging Melbourne debut
Attention now shifts towards Round 1 in Melbourne — a circuit that delivered encouragement for DAMS last season. The team secured their first F3 points at Albert Park, with Matías Zagazeta charging to fifth in the Sprint after qualifying 11th. Later in the year, he improved further with fourth in Monza. However, Hache believes the team approach Australia in a far stronger position this time.
“Last year we had a good start there, we qualified and I think it was a good result,” he said. “In Melbourne we had a bit of luck, but we also managed to exploit it last year. Matías did a good qualifying performance. We hope to reiterate and do better. For sure we have more knowledge now, so we’re hopefully confident.”
Consequently, DAMS travel to Melbourne with measured optimism. They have strengthened their technical foundations, validated their setup direction and demonstrated competitive pace in key sessions.
Testing delivers data rather than points. Nevertheless, the signs from Barcelona suggest DAMS Lucas Oil have taken a meaningful step forward — and now they intend to convert that progress into results when the season begins.
