As the 2025 FIA F3 season moves past its halfway point, AIX Racing’s Car 28 has seen an unusually high level of driver turnover. With three different drivers behind the wheel over five rounds—Nikita Bedrin, Freddie Slater, and Brad Benavides—the car has become a case study in adaptation, development, and inconsistency. Each driver brought distinct experience and potential, contributing differently to the car’s performance and the team’s overall outlook.
Nikita Bedrin
Following a difficult 2024 F3 campaign which saw him finish P19 with only 25 points, Nikita Bedrin’s in the series remained uncertain ahead of the 2025 campaign. However, just days before action kicked off in Melbourne, AIX Racing announced that Bedrin would return for 2025, despite him having already committed to a Formula Regional European Championship campaign with Saintéloc Racing.
A short but sharp return in Melbourne
Having almost missed out on a chance to compete in FIA Formula 3 in 2025, Nikita Bedrin entered the season determined to prove his ability behind the wheel. At the opening round in Melbourne, the AIX Racing driver immediately delivered. He qualified P4, positioning himself among the frontrunners from the outset.
Subsequently, under reverse-grid conditions in the Sprint Race, Bedrin started from P9. Nevertheless, he fought through the field with determination, ultimately finishing P6 and securing 5 points. In the Feature Race, he demonstrated both composure and consistency. Despite challenging weather conditions and multiple red flag interruptions, Bedrin held his ground to finish P4—matching his qualifying position—and earned a further 12 points.
As a result, he accumulated a total of 17 points across the weekend, placing him fourth in the championship standings after just one round. Although he departed the series immediately afterwards to honour his commitments in the Formula Regional European Championship, his performance in Melbourne left a lasting impression. Remarkably, Bedrin, in P15, still ranks ahead of both of his successors—Freddie Slater and Brad Benavides—after five rounds.
Freddie Slater
Following Nikita Bedrin’s departure from AIX Racing, Freddie Slater, just 16 years old, stepped in for the 2025 F3 Round 2 in Sakhir. Highly rated in the junior formulae, he currently competes in the Formula Regional European Championship with Prema and also races part-time in GB3 with Hillspeed. Notably, Slater tested with Rodin Motorsport during the 2024 post-season and joined AIX Racing for in-season testing in Bahrain, leading to his race debut.
A flash of talent in Sakhir
Right from the start, Slater showed promise. He qualified in P10, which granted him a front-row start in the reverse-grid Sprint Race. During the race, he immediately challenged for the lead, engaging in a tense battle with Nikola Tsolov before finishing a superb second, scoring 10 points.
However, his Feature Race ended in disappointment. Following an opening-lap collision with Alessandro Giusti, Slater was forced to retire. Nevertheless, he left Bahrain with 10 points and demonstrated maturity and control far beyond his years.
As a result, Slater, in P20 remains ahead of Benavides in the championship, despite only contesting a single round. His brief outing hints at a driver with substantial long-term potential.
Brad Benavides
Brad Benavides entered the AIX Racing line-up from Round 3 of the 2025 F3 championship onwards. The 2024 Euroformula Open champion, Benavides has a chequered history in Formula 3 and Formula 2. In 2022, he finished 23rd in FIA F3 with just three points. His 2023 F2 campaign was similarly difficult, plagued by incidents and retirements. After testing in Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports earlier in 2025, Benavides returned to F3 with the goal of rebuilding his career.
A promising weekend turned sour in Imola
Benavides qualified P14 at Imola, showing promise. In the Sprint Race, he advanced to P12, although outside the points. During the Feature Race, a collision with Domingues on Lap 12 earned him a ten-second penalty. Although he finished P18, the penalty demoted him to P24. Consequently, he left Imola empty-handed.
A messy round in Monte Carlo
In Monte Carlo, Benavides qualified P10 in Group A, again placing him midfield. The Sprint Race saw him avoid opening-lap chaos and finish P12, a decent recovery from P19. However, the Feature Race proved difficult once more. Noted for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, Benavides received another ten-second penalty and retired on Lap 19.
Poor performance in Barcelona
Barcelona brought further challenges. Qualifying down in P21, Benavides improved slightly to P15 in the Sprint Race but dropped to P24 in the Feature Race. Additionally, he incurred a five-second time penalty for track limits, although it did not affect his final classification. Once again, he left the weekend without scoring any points. After three rounds, he sits P27 in the Championship Standings
A mixed campaign with untapped potential
AIX Racing’s Car 28 has experienced a turbulent yet revealing campaign. Nikita Bedrin maximised his lone outing with a near-podium weekend in Melbourne, setting a high bar. Freddie Slater impressed during his one-off race, not only scoring a podium but doing so with remarkable composure. In contrast, Brad Benavides, now the full-time occupant of the car, has struggled to deliver results, weighed down by penalties and inconsistency.
As the second half of the season unfolds, AIX Racing will hope Benavides can reset and improve. After all, Car 28 has already proven itself capable of scoring strong points. With clearer execution and fewer errors, the car—and its driver—could still play a meaningful role in the championship narrative.
