Yevan David has set his sights on securing his maiden FIA Formula 3 (F3) victory in 2027 after completing his first test with Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Sri Lankan driver will return for a second season in the championship following a promising rookie campaign with AIX Racing, which included his first podium finish at Silverstone.
Having confirmed his move to VAR for 2027, David joined the Dutch outfit for the final two days of post-season testing in Barcelona. The event provided his first opportunity to work with his new engineers and mechanics while continuing preparations for the upcoming championship.
Following the test, the 19-year-old expressed confidence in his new environment and highlighted how the experience gained during his rookie campaign could help him challenge more consistently at the front next season.
David embraces new challenge with Van Amersfoort Racing
David will enter his second F3 season with a new team after spending 2026 with AIX Racing. His move to VAR represents an opportunity to build on his first year in the category while working within an organisation that finished fifth in the 2026 Teams’ Championship.
The Sri Lankan expressed considerable enthusiasm about the move, describing the upcoming season as an important opportunity to continue his development.
“Very, very excited. Honestly, this is one of the most complete years I’ve had in a long time,” David said.
“To back it up with going to Van Amersfoort for 2027, I couldn’t be more excited.”
David also highlighted his early impressions of the team, particularly the relationships he has begun developing with the personnel responsible for his car. His new crew includes mechanics Patrick and Thomas, alongside race engineer Daniel, with whom he has already started working during the Barcelona test.
“I absolutely love the team. A lot of different personalities. I really like my crew around me. Patrick, Thomas, they’re my mechanics from Scandinavia. So I’ve got a cool background there.”
The positive working environment has given David an encouraging introduction to VAR ahead of a season in which he hopes to translate his experience into stronger results.
Barcelona testing provides valuable preparation for 2027
David made his first appearance with VAR during the 2026 Barcelona post-season test, joining Enzo Deligny and Rashid Al Dhaheri in the team’s three-car line-up.
His arrival represented the only change from the earlier Jerez test, with David replacing Francisco Macedo as the Dutch outfit continued preparing for the 2027 championship.
Although his opening day primarily involved familiarisation with the team, David demonstrated encouraging pace during Tuesday’s qualifying simulations. The Sri Lankan recorded a 1:28.073 to finish fifth in the morning session, just 0.171 seconds behind ART Grand Prix’s Taito Kato, who established the fastest time of the two-day event.
David also completed 45 laps during the morning, the highest total of any driver in the session. He subsequently added another 60 laps in the afternoon as teams shifted their attention towards longer runs and race simulations.
His 105 laps across Tuesday’s running gave VAR valuable information while allowing David to strengthen his understanding of the car and develop his relationship with the team.
The final Barcelona testing results provided an encouraging conclusion to his first official appearance with VAR, although the varying programmes prevented direct comparisons between teams.
David reflects on lessons learned during rookie F3 campaign
David’s confidence ahead of 2027 follows a rookie campaign in which he demonstrated promising race pace despite several challenging weekends.
The Sri Lankan made history by becoming the first driver from his country to compete in FIA F3, progressing to the championship following a successful 2025 Euroformula Open campaign. He entered the category with six victories and 14 podium finishes from the previous season, having secured runner-up honours and the Rookie Championship.
However, his transition to F3 presented new challenges, particularly in qualifying and adapting to the demands of the championship’s tightly contested race weekends.
His breakthrough came at Silverstone, where he secured his maiden F3 podium with second place in the Sprint Race. Starting from the front row of the reversed grid, David defended against several competitors to secure a landmark result for himself and AIX Racing.
He also finished seventh in the Feature Race, completing his strongest weekend of the season.
David subsequently continued improving, securing two fourth-place finishes at Monza before collecting another point at the Madrid finale. He eventually finished 18th in the Drivers’ Championship with 35 points.
Experience gives David greater confidence heading into second season
Reflecting on his rookie campaign, David identified the experience of competing across a complete F3 season as one of the most important advantages he will carry into 2027.
The Sri Lankan believes his improved understanding of race weekend procedures, qualifying preparation and changing track conditions will allow him to approach the championship with greater confidence.
“Super useful because you can see how procedures work, how the track evolves on a weekend and just basically how to put a lap together in qualifying under pressure.”
David explained that the experience has also helped him identify which aspects of his driving require further attention, allowing him to approach preparation more effectively than during his rookie season.
“Once you’ve got conditioned into doing that, you know what to expect for next season. Not only that, you’re not really shooting in the dark how you are in your rookie season.”
“You know exactly what to work on and how to work on it effectively. So it’s a double bonus for sure.”
His comments highlight the importance of continuity within the championship, particularly as returning drivers look to capitalise on their familiarity with the car, circuits and weekend structure.
Having already demonstrated his ability to challenge for podium finishes, David will now aim to convert that experience into more consistent performances.
New F3 calendar adds to David’s excitement for 2027
Alongside his move to VAR, David expressed enthusiasm for the revised 2027 F3 calendar, which introduces several new venues.
The championship will again feature ten rounds, although the addition of Jeddah, Montreal and Istanbul will expand its geographical reach. Montreal will also mark F3’s first visit to North America, subject to final contractual confirmation.
For David, the opportunity to compete at unfamiliar circuits represents another exciting element of his second season.
“Obviously, an incredible calendar that we’re going to have. Really excited to go to the new tracks like Jeddah, Montreal, and Istanbul. I’m honestly just very excited to execute to the fullest.”
The championship will begin in Bahrain from 12–14 March before visiting Jeddah the following weekend. Further rounds will take place in Australia, Canada, Monaco, Great Britain, Austria, Italy and Spain, with Istanbul hosting the season finale from 1–3 October, subject to circuit homologation.
The new venues will present additional challenges for returning drivers, although David believes the lessons learned throughout 2026 will help him adapt more effectively.
David sets sights on maiden F3 victory in 2027
Having secured his first podium during his rookie season, David has identified a maiden F3 victory as his primary ambition for 2027.
The Sri Lankan demonstrated his ability to compete near the front during several races in 2026, particularly with his recovery from 17th to fourth in the Monza Sprint Race. However, he recognises that achieving a first victory will require further improvement in qualifying, consistency and race execution.
“I want to win. That’s exactly what I think about when I wake up in the morning and I go to sleep.”
Nevertheless, David emphasised that his immediate attention will remain on the processes required to achieve those results rather than focusing exclusively on lap times or finishing positions.
“In terms of process and in terms of what I’m focused on, it’s obviously about winning but more about the process and everything behind it. I’m not going to be thinking about the lap time that I’m going to get in qualifying.”
“I’m going to think about what corners I can maximise and how I can maximise the lap itself. And then everything else will follow.”
His approach reflects a desire to improve the individual elements of his performance, with the expectation that stronger results will follow from more consistent execution.
Winter preparation becomes priority for David
With the final post-season test completed, David will now turn his attention towards an intensive winter preparation programme ahead of his second F3 campaign.
The Sri Lankan intends to use the coming months to review his performances from 2026, improve his simulator work and develop his ability to perform under pressure.
“I have never been more excited to just work as hard as possible every day. Every day of mine is going to be structured to the minute for how I can work towards my goal.”
His preparations will involve analysing previous races and spending time on the simulator, both at home and at the team’s facilities. David also wants to strengthen his mental approach, particularly when dealing with the demands of qualifying and close competition.
“It’s going to be a lot of studying the races from this year, a lot of driving on the simulator, whether it’s at home or at the factory, and a lot about learning how to cope under pressure even better.”
The programme will provide an opportunity to build on the progress made throughout his rookie campaign while continuing to develop his working relationship with VAR.
With several months remaining before the season opener, David believes the winter will be crucial in preparing for the challenges ahead.
David looks to build on promising first year in F3
David’s move to VAR represents an opportunity to take another step forward after a rookie season that demonstrated his potential but also highlighted areas requiring improvement.
His Silverstone podium and competitive performances at Monza provided evidence of his race pace, while the experience gained throughout 2026 has strengthened his understanding of the championship.
The Barcelona test offered an encouraging introduction to his new team, with David completing extensive running and demonstrating competitive single-lap pace during the final morning session.
With his first F3 victory firmly in his sights, the Sri Lankan will now focus on preparing for the 2027 campaign as he aims to transform the progress of his rookie season into more consistent results with VAR.
