Rodin Motorsport Team Manager Sam Waple says their Formula 3 line up is entering the 2026 season stronger than they were at the end of 2025, following an intensive winter programme and a productive F3 pre-season test in Barcelona.
The Farnham-based outfit completed 559 laps across three days in Spain, with all three drivers, Pedro Clerot, Christian Ho and Brando Badoer, working through extensive programmes.
“I think overall we can be fairly satisfied with the test,” said Waple. “We did a lot of prep over the winter, a lot of testing with the drivers we have, so for us it was mainly going through processes and procedures, and making sure that we’ve done everything that we need to do.”
“I think we did that. We got through everything we wanted to. We have quite a few new staff this year as well, so also getting them all used to F3 and how it works. But, in the end, we’re quite satisfied.”
Building cohesion on and off track
Beyond the lap count, Waple pointed to the growing cohesion within Rodin Motorsport’s F3 side as one of the biggest positives from the winter period. With driver continuity from post-season testing and additional preparation behind the scenes, Rodin appear to have hit the ground running.
“They seem to be gelling really well with the team. Obviously, like I say, we did quite a lot of work over the winter. We did the post-season tests last year, so it almost feels like they’re completely integrated with how we want to do things.”
Experience meets raw talent
A key pillar of Rodin Motorsport’s confidence lies in the balance of its driver line-up, combining proven FIA F3 experience with emerging potential.
Christian Ho returns to the championship with a season of FIA F3 knowledge already under his belt. Having experienced the intensity of qualifying battles, reverse-grid Sprint Races and the strategic demands of Feature Races, Ho brings a clearer understanding of tyre management and race craft at this level. That familiarity allows the team to build on established foundations rather than starting from scratch.
Brando Badoer, meanwhile, also enters 2026 with valuable F3 experience. The Italian has previously demonstrated flashes of pace in the category, and with another year of technical understanding and physical preparation behind him, Rodin will be hoping that consistency can now match his outright speed.
“Brando and Christian bring a lot of good experience to that, so they’re really good, and from Pedro, obviously being a rookie, he’s got a lot to learn but he’s got some incredible speed, talent, so there’s no worries there.”
Alongside them is rookie Pedro Clerot, a driver whose junior single-seater résumé has already marked him out as one to watch. The Brazilian has enjoyed success climbing the feeder series ladder, showing strong qualifying speed and race-winning potential in regional competition before stepping up to Rodin Motorsport’s F3 machinery.
“We’re just trying to make sure that he doesn’t have any of those rookie mistakes and things during the year,” Waple said. “So we’ve just tried to go through as many of those things during the testing to make sure that he is fully up to speed when we get going in Melbourne.”
A bullish approach to 2026
Waple made it clear that the team’s ambitions extend beyond simply scoring points, they are targeting the sharp end of the grid from the outset.
“I think so, yeah, I think so,” said Waple when asked if Rodin are a better team in 2026. “We want to go into this year with quite a bullish nature.”
“We’re not coming in here to not compete right at the front. That’s absolutely our aim, and for me, it’s very much taking the momentum of last year and from Monza and carrying it through to this year.”
“So, absolutely, I feel like we’ve got a very nice package, and we’ve got a great team behind us. I don’t expect not to be fighting at the front straight from Round 1.”
Ready for Melbourne
With the season opener in Melbourne now on the horizon, preparations are effectively complete. After months of groundwork, data analysis and team integration, Rodin Motorsport believe they have laid the foundations required to challenge consistently in Formula 3 for 2026.
When asked if the team are excited to finally go racing, Waple’s response was immediate and emphatic: “We’re ready to go.”
