Brando Badoer believes hard work and a stronger foundation with Rodin Motorsport have driven his significant step forward during the 2026 F3 season.
With two rounds remaining, the Italian sits fifth in the Drivers’ Championship after claiming four podiums, including his breakthrough Feature Race victory in Monte Carlo. The campaign has marked a clear improvement from a difficult rookie season in 2025 and leaves Badoer firmly in contention for a top-three championship finish.
As F3 prepares to resume at Monza before concluding its season in Madrid, Badoer remains encouraged by the progress he and Rodin have made. However, rather than reflecting too heavily on what they have already achieved, the 19-year-old wants to maintain the same approach through the final races.
Badoer pleased with a ‘solid year’ so far
Changing teams for his second F3 season presented Badoer with another adjustment ahead of 2026. Nevertheless, he quickly established a productive relationship with Rodin and believes both sides have worked effectively together throughout the campaign.
“It’s gone pretty well,” Badoer summarised to Formula 3. “It’s been a solid year so far for myself and the team. We’re all working well together, but of course we’re always looking to do better.
“The championship is very competitive, so we need to keep improving and secure even better results in the future.”
That desire for further improvement remains central despite the considerable step forward in results. Badoer has already established himself as a regular contender near the front, but the competitiveness of Formula 3 means maintaining that position requires constant development.
Hard work provides foundation for 2026 F3 progress for Badoer
Badoer credits his improved campaign to a combination of factors rather than one transformative change. However, he places particular emphasis on the work completed with Rodin before the Melbourne season opener and throughout the championship.
“I think it’s a combination of things, but definitely I think the key is the hard work we’ve put in and it’s what I’m looking for to keep doing together with the team to keep up the pace.”
That work has translated into four podium finishes and greater consistency across different circuits. It has also helped Badoer rediscover the competitiveness he struggled to show regularly during his rookie campaign.
Yet one result naturally stands above the others.
Monaco victory delivers childhood ambition
Badoer claimed his first F3 victory on the streets of Monte Carlo, converting the opportunity into a particularly meaningful Feature Race result on Grand Prix Sunday.
“First win in F3 on Grand Prix Sunday in Monaco felt even more special. Definitely something I was looking forward to since I was a kid.”
However, Badoer refused to let the significance of that moment distract him from the wider season. Although Monaco provided an achievement he had anticipated for years, he quickly shifted his attention back towards the championship.
“But, at the same time, the championship is very long and at the end of the day the goal is the championship, so you need to turn the page and keep pushing to create other memories like that.”
That attitude has shaped his approach throughout 2026. Individual highlights matter, but Badoer ultimately measures progress across the entire campaign rather than through one weekend.
A stronger base transforms difficult rookie year
Badoer endured a challenging 2025 season and believes several factors outside his control complicated his rookie campaign. This year, however, he feels Rodin has helped create a more stable platform from which he can consistently demonstrate his ability.
“Last year there were a lot of things I couldn’t control and of course it was a tough season. This year together with the team we’ve been building a solid base and everyone is working well.
“We are all focused on the goal and the championship is long and we need to stay grounded and keep pushing and keep maximising everything we’ve got.”
That stronger foundation has allowed Badoer to make gains across several areas. Rather than identifying only one weakness from 2025, he believes both his single-lap performance and his race execution have improved.
Qualifying pace remains crucial for Badoer in competitive 2026 F3 field
Badoer particularly recognises the importance of combining strong race pace with competitive Qualifying performances. With overtaking and strategy often influenced heavily by starting position, he knows a strong weekend becomes considerably easier when he begins near the front.
“It’s definitely important in such a competitive championship to be fast on the one lap and on the race pace because races are easier when you start at the front.
“They’re the kind of results that you get when you work really hard and we are ready to fight in the next races and let’s see what we’ve got for the final rounds.”
Rodin’s overall progress has complemented Badoer’s development, with teammate Pedro Clerot also scoring several podiums during the season. For Badoer, those results reinforce the value of the collective work behind the team’s improved campaign.
Consistency remains key to final-round push
With two events remaining, Badoer sits only four points away from third in the Drivers’ Standings. Although the 59-point gap to the championship lead makes a title challenge increasingly unlikely, he intends to approach Monza and Madrid with the same mentality required to fight for the championship.
Recapturing the consistency he showed earlier in the year will form an important part of that push.
“Consistency is definitely important, for me and for the team because it keeps you in a good flow, it’s the kind of momentum we’re looking forward to maintaining that when we get going once again.”
Badoer does not want to place unnecessary emphasis on one particular result. Instead, he wants Rodin to maximise each remaining opportunity and allow the final standings to reflect the quality of their work.
“We are looking to do well and maximise everything we have from now up until the last round so we’ll just see then where we end up of course. The goal I think for most of the drivers is to win the championship, so that’s the mindset we are approaching the weekends with.”
Maximising every lap in 2026 F3 becomes the final objective for Badoer
With margins throughout the F3 field remaining small, Badoer believes attention to detail will determine how successfully he concludes his campaign. Practice mileage, Qualifying execution and avoiding unnecessary errors all become increasingly important as opportunities begin to run out.
“You just kind of have to take things as they come. I think the key is maximising every lap you get in FP, every lap you get in quali and trying to make the fewest mistakes possible and at the end, I think it will be shown in the championship standings that we have done a better job.”
The break before the final two rounds gave Badoer and Rodin an opportunity to reset after an intense run of events. However, he expects the final phase of the season to place significant demands on both drivers and teams.
“We’ve had a break and a little rest before going again for the last couple of race weekends, but for sure it will be an intense end for the teams, for the drivers but it’s important to keep up the momentum and use all the energy we’ve got.”
Badoer therefore enters the final two rounds with substantially different ambitions from those that followed his difficult rookie season. A first F3 victory, four podiums and a place inside the championship top five have already underlined his progress, but a top-three finish remains firmly within reach.
For Badoer, the task now involves maintaining the hard work and consistency that transformed his second season and extracting everything available from Monza and Madrid.
