With just one round remaining in the 2025 F3 Championship, French racer Théophile Naël sits seventh in the standings with 70 points. Driving for Van Amersfoort Racing, the 18-year-old has made a strong impression in his rookie campaign, combining podium pace with valuable experience in one of the most competitive junior series in motorsport.
In an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief, Naël discussed his F3 performance in the first half of the season, the environment at Van Amersfoort Racing, and his approach heading for the second half of 2025.
Thriving in a team built for young talent
Van Amersfoort Racing has long been known for nurturing emerging drivers, and Naël credits the team’s culture for aiding his development in 2025. The squad’s collaborative approach, he explained, is instrumental in building both confidence and consistency.
“I think Van Amersfoort is definitely a really good team for young talent,” Naël said. “That was also why I came here and why I’m running for them and I really appreciate it. But now we are in the middle of the season, we just have to do the job, all three of us, I think. We are working all together and I think that what we are doing actually is quite good. So yeah, just have to keep doing like that.”
The camaraderie between Naël and his team-mates has been evident throughout the year, with all three drivers stepping onto the podium. This dynamic, alongside Van Amersfoort Racing’s technical expertise, provides the right conditions for Naël to adapt quickly to the demands of F3 in his 2025 rookie season.
Early podium brings confidence
Naël’s first podium arrived sooner than he anticipated, delivering a significant boost of confidence during the opening stages of his rookie year and setting the tone for the 2025 F3 campaign.
“For me, I think, of course, we all want to be on the podium. We all want victory. And yeah, for me, my expectation was just to learn – first year for me in this category,” he explained. “Something really good is that the podium came really early. Then we struggled a bit, but we came back really strong into Barcelona.”
That resurgence in Barcelona proved pivotal, breaking a run of more challenging weekends and re-establishing momentum. It also underlined Naël’s adaptability in a series where unpredictable factors – from weather to safety cars – often play a decisive role.
Learning while performing
While the podiums and standout results capture headlines, Naël approaches the 2025 F3 season with measured expectations. He sees 2025 as an opportunity to understand the new car, adapt to the nuances of the championship, and refine his racecraft.
“I think we are actually in the top 10 in the standings [of the] championship. So that’s quite good for the past season,” he reflected. “But yeah, the job is still the same – just keep doing, learning the car, learning the championship. Many things can happen in this championship that we, I think, we all have seen that in the past year. So yeah, just keep doing what we are doing.”
Consistency in a fiercely competitive field
With minimal gaps separating the top half of the standings, the 2025 F3 grid is exceptionally competitive. For Naël, holding seventh with 70 points ahead of Monza is proof of his ability to compete against more experienced rivals and other highly rated rookies.
His rookie campaign is defined by consistent points-scoring rather than erratic highs and lows. While he occasionally faces weekends where pace or circumstance limits his haul, his ability to regularly bring home points keeps him within striking distance of the top five.
Given the technical and strategic complexity of F3 in 2025 – from managing the Dallara chassis to mastering Pirelli’s tyres – such consistency is no small achievement for a first-year driver. Naël shows composure under pressure, handling the steep learning curve with maturity.
A year of growth
Naël’s rookie season encapsulates the ideal blend of learning and performance. The early podium is a statement of potential, and his ability to rebound from tougher weekends speaks volumes about his resilience.
As he summed up in the interview: “The job is still the same – just keep doing, learning the car, learning the championship.”
With Monza on the horizon, Naël looks to close his debut campaign as one of the standout newcomers in the 2025 FIA F3 Championship – and to take another step forward in a career that continues to gather momentum.
