Maciej Gładysz has set his sights on challenging for the 2027 FIA Formula 3 (F3) Championship as he prepares to return to MP Motorsport for his second season in the category. The 18-year-old Polish driver believes the combination of his previous experience with the Dutch outfit and the lessons learned during his rookie campaign will provide a strong foundation for a more consistent year.
Gładysz spent the 2026 season with ART Grand Prix, securing his maiden F3 victory at Silverstone and finishing 12th in the Drivers’ Championship with 54 points. Although he demonstrated the pace to challenge near the front, difficulties in qualifying and an inconsistent conclusion to the season prevented him from achieving the results he had hoped for.
Having previously enjoyed championship success with MP Motorsport in the junior single-seater categories, Gładysz is now looking forward to reuniting with familiar personnel. Speaking to the official Formula 3 website, he discussed his expectations for 2027, the areas he needs to improve and his ambition to compete for the Drivers’ title without placing unnecessary pressure on himself.
Gładysz welcomes return to familiar environment at MP Motorsport
Gładysz’s return to MP Motorsport reunites him with the organisation that supported his first two seasons in single-seater racing. He began competing with the Dutch team in 2024, finishing third in both the Formula Winter Series and Spanish F4 Championship. Those performances established him as a promising prospect, particularly as he adapted to car racing following his progression through international karting.
The partnership continued in 2025, when Gładysz claimed the Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship before competing in the main Eurocup-3 season. Although he subsequently moved to ART Grand Prix for his F3 debut, the relationship he established with MP has remained important to his development.
Following the confirmation of his return to MP Motorsport for 2027, Gładysz expressed his enthusiasm about rejoining a team whose personnel and working methods are already familiar to him.
“Obviously it’s quite good to be back,” he said. “I used to race for the team in the Spanish F4 and Eurocup-3 championship. I know most of the people, so I’m happy to be back with them.”
That familiarity could prove valuable as Gładysz prepares for his second F3 campaign, allowing him to concentrate on improving his performance rather than adjusting to an entirely unfamiliar environment.
Silverstone victory highlights potential during challenging rookie campaign
Gładysz’s first season in F3 produced several encouraging performances, although his results did not consistently reflect the pace he demonstrated throughout the championship. His strongest weekend came at Silverstone, where he secured points in both races before claiming his maiden Feature Race victory following a dramatic sequence of post-race decisions.
The ART Grand Prix driver originally crossed the line fourth after starting eighth, having made several overtakes during the race. However, Théophile Naël’s penalty initially promoted him onto the podium before Matteo De Palo’s disqualification and Ernesto Rivera’s additional penalty elevated the Polish driver to victory.
The revised Silverstone Feature Race classification confirmed Gładysz as the winner ahead of Freddie Slater and Ugo Ugochukwu, providing a significant breakthrough during his rookie campaign.
Despite that achievement, he struggled to maintain the same level of performance during the second half of the season. Gładysz failed to score during the final three rounds at Budapest, Monza and Madrid, ultimately finishing 12th in the standings.
His assessment of the difficulties encountered during his rookie season highlighted several missed opportunities, particularly at Monaco, Barcelona and Budapest. Those experiences have influenced his preparations for 2027, with Gładysz determined to convert his demonstrated pace into more consistent results.
Qualifying performance becomes Gładysz’s priority for 2027
One of Gładysz’s main objectives for his second F3 season is improving his qualifying performance, which he believes limited his ability to challenge consistently during 2026. Although he occasionally demonstrated competitive single-lap pace, he struggled to reproduce those performances across every round, leaving himself with difficult starting positions.
Qualifying is particularly important in F3 because the results determine the starting grid for the Feature Race, while the leading 12 positions are reversed for the Sprint Race. A strong qualifying session can therefore create opportunities to score points in both contests, whereas a difficult result can significantly compromise an entire weekend.
Reflecting on his rookie campaign, Gładysz identified qualifying as the principal area requiring improvement.
“I think, obviously what I need to work on is quali,” he explained. “Obviously, I need to work on quali performance. I think this year that was my main limiting factor.”
He believes addressing those difficulties could allow him to compete more consistently near the front, particularly as he enters the season with a year’s experience of the machinery and championship format.
“I think this needs to be sorted for next year. If it gets sorted, I think we will be there fighting for big points.”
Improved qualifying performance, combined with greater consistency across race weekends, will therefore form an important part of his preparations for the upcoming championship.
Experience gives Gładysz confidence ahead of second F3 season
Unlike his debut campaign, Gładysz will enter 2027 with prior experience of competing in F3 machinery and managing the demands of the championship’s race weekends. That knowledge should allow him to approach familiar circuits with a stronger understanding of tyre management, car setup and the differences between qualifying and race conditions.
His previous experience with MP Motorsport could also support that progression, particularly as he prepares to work with personnel who already understand his driving style and approach to racing. The Dutch outfit enjoyed a successful conclusion to the 2026 campaign, finishing third in the Teams’ Championship and demonstrating improved competitiveness during the final rounds.
Gładysz believes those factors provide an encouraging foundation for the partnership, especially as he aims to build on the results achieved during his first season.
“I think we can score some great achievements for the 2027 season. Obviously, I will not be a rookie next year. I will, of course, have some experience and I will try to use that experience for better results.”
The opportunity to return to familiar surroundings comes at an important stage of his career, with Gładysz now expected to demonstrate greater consistency following his initial year of development. His Silverstone victory has already shown that he can compete for strong results, but sustaining that competitiveness will be essential to achieving his ambitions.
MP Motorsport’s 2027 line-up combines experience and emerging talent
Gładysz will join Matteo De Palo and Zhenrui Chi in MP Motorsport’s three-driver line-up for 2027, providing the team with a combination of returning F3 competitors and a newcomer stepping up from Formula Regional.
De Palo moves to MP after completing his rookie campaign with Trident in 2026. Although the Italian endured a difficult season, he previously demonstrated his potential in the Formula Regional European Championship, finishing runner-up in 2025 with four victories and 11 podiums.
Meanwhile, Chi will make his F3 debut after finishing eighth in the 2026 Formula Regional European Championship. The Aston Martin Driver Academy member will continue with MP Motorsport following his first full season in Formula Regional, maintaining his existing relationship with the Dutch organisation.
The confirmation of Chi as MP Motorsport’s third driver completed a line-up that combines two drivers familiar with the demands of F3 and one progressing through the junior single-seater categories.
Having finished third in the 2026 Teams’ Championship with 208 points, MP Motorsport will aim to build on its late-season progress. For Gładysz, the team’s previous success and his familiarity with its personnel offer an opportunity to pursue more ambitious results during his second campaign.
Gładysz targets championship success without additional pressure
Although Gładysz has identified winning the 2027 Drivers’ Championship as his ultimate objective, he intends to approach the season without placing excessive pressure on individual results. The Polish driver believes consistency will be fundamental to achieving that ambition, particularly after experiencing the difficulties of maintaining competitive performance throughout his rookie campaign.
Rather than concentrating solely on victories, he wants to establish a reliable level of performance across qualifying and both races. That approach reflects the lessons he learned during 2026, when promising results were frequently followed by difficult weekends that prevented him from maintaining championship momentum.
Asked about his ambitions for the upcoming season, Gładysz made clear that his long-term target remains the title.
“Well, the goal, obviously, is winning the championship,” he said. “But the first thing I want to focus on is to keep being consistent.”
However, he also emphasised the importance of enjoying the competition rather than allowing expectations to affect his performance.
“I am not putting any pressure on myself because I want to keep enjoying it as much as possible. I hope, in the end, the result will be there, so let’s see.”
Gładysz’s return to MP Motorsport provides an opportunity to build on his previous achievements with the team while applying the experience gained throughout his first F3 season. With a victory already to his name, improved qualifying and consistent points finishes will be central to his efforts to establish himself as a championship contender in 2027.
