Australian racing prospect Patrick Heuzenroeder will make his FIA Formula 3 (F3) Championship debut with Campos Racing at the opening round of the 2026 season, stepping in for Ernesto Rivera.
Heuzenroeder replaces Rivera after the Mexican driver sustained a back injury during Round 4 of the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship (CTFROT) in New Zealand earlier this year. Although Rivera had initially targeted a return for the opening round of the 2026 season, medical advice has ruled him out of the F3 season opener.
Heuzenroeder to debut on home soil in F3 2026
The late call-up presents a significant opportunity for the young Australian, who will now make his championship debut on home soil at the Australian Grand Prix.
Importantly, Heuzenroeder is already familiar with the Campos Racing environment. He stepped in for Rivera during pre-season testing in Barcelona, gaining valuable mileage in the F3 car and building strong working relationships with the team’s engineers. That experience should help ease his transition into his first official race weekend in the highly competitive championship.
“I’m very excited to be given this opportunity to make my debut in F3 at my home Grand Prix,” said Heuzenroeder. “It will be a steep learning curve, but I am looking forward to it and can’t wait to get on track!”
“Thank you to my supporters and family for this opportunity.”
Beyond his FIA Formula 3 appearance, Heuzenroeder has firmly established himself within the Campos structure and will compete in Eurocup-3 this year with GriffinCore Campos Racing. The 19-year-old also enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in GB3 in 2025, finishing vice-champion in the British F3 Championship and highlighting both his consistency and race-winning potential.
Now handed an unexpected opportunity on the international stage, the Australian has the chance to showcase his talent in front of a home crowd as he takes a significant step forward in his single-seater career. With Round 1 marking the opening weekend of the 2026 F3 season, Heuzenroeder will begin his campaign on home soil with Campos, providing the perfect platform to demonstrate his ability on a major stage.
