Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi approaches his rookie season in the 2026 FIA F3 Championship with DAMS Lucas Oil with optimism and determination. After three years in single-seater racing, the Thai driver now steps up to the next level, eager to establish himself quickly among the strong rookie cohort and seasoned competitors.
Bhirombhakdi aiming to be “as competitive as possible” in 2026 F3 debut campaign with DAMS
After completing three post-season tests with DAMS in 2025, Bhirombhakdi spent the winter building continuity with the team before returning to the cockpit for pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in February. There, he focused on adapting to the new car and refining his technical feedback while strengthening the working relationship with his engineers. With Round 1 in Melbourne on the horizon, he is intent on turning that preparation into early results.
“I’m just trying to be as competitive as possible,” said Bhirombhakdi on the 2026 campaign. “I want to deliver as much as I can with my ability and my experience. It’s still not that much, but I am just trying to just work as hard as possible to achieve the best results as I can.”
Bhirombhakdi embracing the step up to F3 with DAMS in 2026
Moving into F3 represents a significant leap in competition. The championship places drivers on an international stage, where consistency, adaptability, and technical understanding are tested alongside pure speed. Bhirombhakdi sees the challenge as an opportunity to prove himself and develop quickly.
Reflecting on the scope of the season, he highlighted the diversity of circuits and experiences awaiting him.
“I’m very excited that I’ll be competing, not just in Europe, but in Australia and in Bahrain, experiencing new tracks, it’s very exciting. The levels are very high and, you are competing against the best drivers. So, I am very excited for the step up and I am trying to hopefully get good results and improve race by race.”
Winter preparation and physical development
With that in mind, the winter months were spent building the foundations for a physically and mentally demanding season. With the F3 car being more powerful and faster than his previous machinery, Bhirombhakdi dedicated himself to strengthening his fitness, endurance, and concentration. He understands that physical performance directly influences his ability to extract speed and maintain consistency over long stints.
Reflecting on his off-season training and testing, he explained: “The winter has been good. I’ve been doing a lot of physical training to prepare for a bigger and faster car. It was a bit of a wake-up call for me when I first tested, but now I feel physically and mentally good.
“I think also just how different the tyres are and how important it is to just put everything together in one lap. So not only should you be physically at 100%, but also mentally. But it’s a new car, and I have new things I had to learn a lot, so looking back at the post-season tests, they were not easy. But I could see that I was improving every session and day by day it was getting better. So a lot was done during the post-season tests.”
Melbourne opener beckons
As Round 1 approaches, Bhirombhakdi’s attention has turned fully to Melbourne. Albert Park represents a fresh challenge and an opportunity to make a strong first impression in a competitive field. He also looks forward to experiencing the unique atmosphere and fan culture of Australia.
“I am really looking forward to Melbourne,” he concluded. “I have heard from many drivers that the fans are great. The track looks great and also just because it’s in Australia, and I haven’t been there for a while, I think the last time was like 15 years ago on holiday. “So I’m very excited to see how Australia will be, not just how the track, but also the culture itself.”
