Mattia Colnaghi brought the curtain down on an impressive run of 2025 F3 post-season testing in emphatic style at Imola, as the young Italian topped the timesheets for MP Motorsport. The 2026 Formula 3 rookie set the fastest lap of the event with a 1:31.824, a time good enough to edge TRIDENT’s Freddie Slater by just 0.002 seconds during the morning session of Day 2.
The MP Motorsport driver not only impressed with his outright speed but also showed consistency and adaptability throughout the day. In the afternoon session, Colnaghi continued to demonstrate his strong pace, finishing sixth overall. Speaking after the final day of testing, he reflected on what he described as an encouraging and productive few days behind the wheel.
“It has been a very good first few laps, very good test days on FIA F3,” said Colnaghi. “We have been developing throughout the six days we had in Jerez, Barcelona and Imola, and topping up the timesheets today was quite good. Of course it’s only testing, still a lot to work on, still a lot to learn from the cars to the tyres, to the new tyres, but overall quite a positive day.”
Adapting to the power and performance of F3
Reflecting on his development over the three test events, Colnaghi spoke candidly about the learning curve he faced and how his driving style had evolved from the opening laps in Jerez to the final day at Imola.
“I have definitely now adapted my driving style to the car,” he said. “In Jerez I was driving like I was in the previous car I was driving. There is much more power, stronger brakes, and the car is also a bit heavier. So a few things I had to adapt, but overall I think we did quite well.”
Learning curve: Brakes, power, and tyre management
The Italian driver went into more detail about the specific challenges he encountered during his first experience with the Dallara F3 chassis. He highlighted how the car’s characteristics demanded not only a new technical approach but also a different mindset behind the wheel.
“Mainly the brakes. They are the biggest thing, and the power as well. The amount of braking you can do in this car compared to the one I was in before is quite different. Also the power, F3 has more horsepower. So those were the main things, and the tyre wear was much different. But the long runs were and still are the main focus. I need to work a lot on that, but I am sure we can get it sorted before next season.”
While he has already demonstrated raw speed, he recognizes that Formula 3 requires more than just one-lap pace. Long-run consistency, tyre management, and understanding how the car behaves over race distances are areas he remains keen to refine before the 2026 season begins.
Learning from his teammates and building chemistry
Colnaghi’s transition into the MP Motorsport setup has also been aided by the presence of two experienced and competitive teammates: Alessandro Giusti and Tuukka Taponen. Throughout the testing program, the trio worked closely together, comparing data, refining setups, and pushing one another on track.
Colnaghi admitted that the opportunity to benchmark himself against such strong teammates has been invaluable.
He said that he has “learnt a lot” from them over the last few weeks, emphasizing how sharing a garage with fast and experienced drivers can accelerate his development.
Looking ahead: Winter work and preparation for 2026
With the six days of testing now complete, Colnaghi’s attention turns to the winter months. These will be crucial for refining both his physical condition and his technical understanding of the car before the start of the 2026 F3 campaign.
“I’ll be working on a bit of everything to be honest,” he said. “A bit of sim work, hopefully we can try and do something with that, to make everything better for the upcoming season. I’ll be working on my strength as well, just a bit of everything, trying to get there.”
As he continues to grow more comfortable in his new surroundings and gains further experience, Colnaghi’s impressive testing performances have already marked him out as one to watch when the lights go out in 2026.
