After several weeks away from competitive action, Fionn McLaughlin says he feels refreshed, refocused and fully prepared for the next phase of his rookie FIA F3 campaign with Hitech.
The Irish driver entered the 2026 season facing a steep learning curve after limited preparation ahead of the opening round in Melbourne. Nevertheless, McLaughlin emerged from the Australian weekend with valuable experience, important lessons and growing confidence about what he and the team can achieve during the remainder of the year.
Since then, FIA F3 has experienced an unusually lengthy break between rounds, giving drivers time to analyse performances, reset mentally and prepare for the demanding European section of the calendar. For McLaughlin, the pause has offered the perfect opportunity to reflect on his debut weekend while also sharpening his focus ahead of the in-season test at the Red Bull Ring and the prestigious Monaco round in June.
Importantly, the Red Bull Junior Team driver believes the break has allowed him to approach the next stage of the season with renewed energy and a clearer understanding of both the championship and the demands of F3 racing.
McLaughlin uses break to reset and refocus ahead of 2026 Monte Carlo F3 Round
Although F3 drivers often spend long periods travelling and competing throughout the season, McLaughlin explained that the gap between Melbourne and Monaco has allowed him to enjoy a rare moment of calm before the intensity of the European campaign begins.
However, despite the downtime, the Hitech rookie has continued working hard behind the scenes to ensure he remains sharp physically and mentally. Simulator sessions, training and preparation have remained central to his routine, while time with family has also helped him recharge ahead of the busy months to come.
Reflecting on the period since Melbourne with Formula 3, McLaughlin admitted he has enjoyed the opportunity to slow things down temporarily before racing resumes.
“It’s been a long time now. I’ve just been on the sim and working out. Not really much else, racing drivers are boring, so I don’t really do that much. I’ve just been playing a bit of golf, spending time with family.”
A chance to process his Melbourne debut
At the same time, the break has also given the young driver a valuable chance to properly process the experience of his first F3 weekend.
Melbourne represented a major step up in competition level and intensity, particularly given the limited preparation time available before the opening race weekend. Consequently, McLaughlin approached the event knowing adaptation would play a major role in determining his progress.
Now, after several weeks of reflection, he believes the experience provided a strong foundation on which to build.
“It’s been nice to get a while to chill, to be honest, and a good time to reflect on Melbourne. It was a good experience. First round, obviously, I didn’t get much time to prepare, so it was kind of a rush.”
Rather than dwelling on mistakes or missed opportunities, McLaughlin has focused on the positives he can carry forward into the rest of the season.
The rookie acknowledged that the opening weekend could easily have unfolded very differently given the circumstances, but he remains satisfied with the way he handled the pressure and adapted throughout the event.
“But I’m quite happy I’ve had this time to have a break. I can fully dedicate my life now to the next round. It’s just like the season’s restarting again. It went well. I took a lot from it. I learned that I managed the situations well.”
Importantly, the Irishman also recognises there remains considerable room for growth as he gains more mileage and experience in the category.
“It could have went a lot worse. It could have went a lot better. So, yeah, I’m happy with how it went.”
McLaughlin believes that Red Bull Ring test will be crucial before 2026 Monaco F3 Round
Attention now turns towards the upcoming in-season test at the Red Bull Ring, which McLaughlin views as a vital opportunity to rebuild rhythm before heading to Monaco.
The two-day test will mark the drivers’ first chance to return to the cars since Melbourne. Given the unique challenge presented by Monaco’s unforgiving street circuit, McLaughlin believes the additional preparation time will prove extremely important.
Unlike many permanent circuits, Monaco punishes even the smallest mistakes. Drivers often require maximum confidence immediately, particularly through the tight barriers and high-speed direction changes that define the famous venue.
Consequently, McLaughlin expects the Red Bull Ring running to play a major role in helping drivers regain momentum before the championship resumes.
“Definitely key, because Monaco’s going to be difficult. Jumping into the car that we haven’t been in in a long time just to go straight into Monaco will be difficult.”
In addition to rebuilding familiarity with the car, the test will also allow teams and drivers to refine set-ups, experiment with different approaches and evaluate improvements made since the opening round.
For McLaughlin personally, the sessions represent an important opportunity to remove any rust that may have developed during the lengthy break.
“So these two days will be good to get the cobwebs off – it’ll be a good start to get ready for Monaco.”
Busy European schedule will demand consistency
Once the Monaco weekend concludes, FIA F3 will enter one of the busiest and most demanding phases of the season.
A packed sequence of European rounds means drivers will face repeated travel, quick turnarounds and little time for recovery between events. Therefore, maintaining physical condition, mental sharpness and emotional balance will become increasingly important.
McLaughlin understands the challenge ahead and knows preparation away from the circuit could prove just as important as performance on-track.
“After Monaco, we have so many races in a row, it’s just going to be going from nothing to a lot. The adrenaline will be used a lot. It’ll be physically demanding.”
As a result, the Hitech driver has already placed significant focus on ensuring he is fully prepared for the demanding stretch of races that lies ahead. According to McLaughlin, modern junior single-seater racing requires drivers to maintain complete readiness at all times due to the relentless nature of the calendar.
“You just have to prepare for these moments. You have to be mentally ready, physically ready. As drivers, we’re ready for these moments.”
Even so, the compressed schedule leaves little room for detailed reflection once race weekends begin arriving in rapid succession. Instead, drivers must quickly process performances, recover and immediately shift focus onto the next challenge.
“After the weekends, we’ll have a couple of days off, but not much. We’ll be straight back into the next race weekend. The time to reflect will be difficult, but we have to try and manage it as best as we can.”
McLaughlin confident Hitech can move forward in 2026 F3 Championship
Looking beyond Monaco, McLaughlin remains optimistic about Hitech’s long-term prospects despite the challenges faced during the opening round of the campaign.
Although Melbourne proved difficult overall for the British outfit, teammate Jin Nakamura still managed to score points, underlining the underlying competitiveness within the package.
Consequently, McLaughlin believes the team possesses the speed required to fight closer to the front once it fully unlocks the car’s potential. The Irishman also stressed that improvement must come collectively, with both drivers and engineers continuing to refine their approach throughout the season.
“I believe that I can make it to the front. As a team, we’re working hard to get the car set up better. As a driver, I’m trying to improve too. I believe that we can get to the front as quick as we can.”
Importantly, McLaughlin insists raw pace has never been the issue. Instead, he sees the current stage of the season as part of a natural development process for a rookie campaign.
“We’re fast. It’s not like we don’t have the speed. Over the next rounds, we can be back up at the front end of the field.”
With the European campaign rapidly approaching, McLaughlin now feels eager to measure the progress he has made since Melbourne and compare himself against the rest of the field once competitive action resumes.
After weeks of preparation, the rookie says he simply cannot wait to return to the cockpit.
“I just can’t wait to get back out driving, to be honest. The test is coming up as well, I’m excited to get back into it, just to see how I’ve changed and how much I’ve improved. It’ll be nice to see how I compare against the others.”
