Noel León made his FIA Formula 3 debut in 2024 with Van Amersfoort Racing. For the 2025 season, he joined PREMA Racing. However, like teammates Ugo Ugochukwu and Brando Badoer, León has endured a difficult start to the 2025 F3 season.
At the halfway mark of the season, León sits 24th in the F3 Championship standings, having collected only four points. He is currently placed between his teammates, who occupy 23rd and 31st, respectively. This is in stark contrast to his 2024 season, where he finished 10th, a strong showing for a rookie. Yet in 2025, PREMA’s struggles across both F3 and F2 have become increasingly clear.
Round 1 in Melbourne
Qualifying in Melbourne was disrupted by multiple red flags, and León’s lap for 20th position reflected the session’s unpredictability. The Sprint Race was equally chaotic, but León climbed to tenth, equalling his second-best sprint result of the season. In the Feature Race, despite two safety car periods, he pushed forward to finish 13th.
Round 2 in Bahrain
Bahrain’s Qualifying session was far calmer. León secured 14th on the grid – again matching his second-best qualifying result of the season. The Sprint Race saw a return to typical F3 drama, yet León made progress to finish 11th.
The Feature Race brought fierce midfield battles, and although he dropped positions, León finished a respectable 17th.
Round 3 in Imola
Imola’s qualifying session was halted by a red flag, but León delivered his best effort of the season to qualify eighth. With the Sprint Race grid reversed, he started fifth. Despite the strong starting position, he finished ninth, having lost ground after being pushed into the gravel during one of three safety car periods.
The Feature Race was again full of incidents. León was forced wide early on, fell back through the field, and eventually crossed the line in 28th place.
Round 4 in Monaco
Monaco, as always, brought high drama. León qualified in Group A, which ran more smoothly than Group B. He secured fifth in his session, placing him eighth on the grid for the Sprint Race.
However, his race ended early following contact with Championship leader Rafael Camara – a collision that forced his first retirement of the season. In the Feature Race, León collided with Tim Tramnitz, though the incident required no further investigation. Just a few laps later, he hit the wall at Portier, marking his second DNF of the weekend
Round 5 in Spain
Spain offered a modest step forward. León qualified 14th, having been in the top twelve until the final moments of the session.
He avoided early chaos in the Sprint Race as several frontrunners retired. Although he lost ground mid-race, he fought back to finish tenth and score a valuable point. In the Feature Race, León battled in the midfield but slipped to 18th, four places lower than his starting position.
An overview
Statistically, Imola remains León’s strongest weekend of the 2025 campaign. He scored two points in the Sprint Race, representing half of his current season total.
Although Monaco proved disastrous, León’s overall form has been mixed. He often finishes higher than he qualifies, but he has struggled to make significant net gains during races. The balance of positions gained versus lost highlights an ongoing challenge.
With just five rounds remaining, neither León nor PREMA Racing appear poised to mount a serious comeback. The team is unlikely to feature in the championship fight, and their hopes for silverware in 2025 continue to fade.
