Jin Nakamura is set to make his F3 debut in the 2026 F3 season alongside Hitech TGR. The 19-year-old Japanese driver arrives on the F3 grid after completing his first full season of racing in Europe in 2025, where he finished 10th in the Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) Drivers’ Standings.
After a year of adaptation and growth, Nakamura will look to build on his European experience as he takes the next step in his career—one he has described as “an exciting challenge”.
Looking forward to the new season
Nakamura is eager to begin his Formula 3 campaign with Hitech TGR and is particularly excited by the opportunity to race on Formula 1 weekends for the first time. While he acknowledges the competitiveness of the championship, the Japanese driver is ready to embrace the challenge.
“I’m very happy to be joining Hitech in Formula 3, I’m excited to be joining a Championship racing on a Formula 1 weekend. It’s going to be a tough season, a big challenge. All of the drivers are good and have a lot of skill but I’m looking forward to it”
He also spoke positively about his developing relationship with the team, highlighting the support he has received as he continues to adapt to European racing.
“Our relationship is going well. Everyone’s been really nice and I want to thank Hitech for the support. I have experience racing in Japan, but the team is supporting me a lot in my future.”
Experience as an advantage
Nakamura arrives in Formula 3 with one of the most diverse racing backgrounds on the 2026 grid, having competed across GT, endurance, and single-seater categories. He began his career in the Japanese F4 Championship, finishing fourth in 2022 and runner-up in 2023.
In 2024, he clinched the Super Taikyu Series ST-2 class title with KTMS, while also competing in Super GT’s GT300 class, where he finished sixth in the standings. That same year, Nakamura made his Super Formula Lights debut with TOM’S, securing fourth overall in his rookie season and claiming his maiden victory.
The 2025 season marked his transition to Europe, where he joined R-ace GP for his FRECA debut. Nakamura finished 10th in the championship and secured a podium, mirroring his result from the Formula Regional Middle East Championship earlier that year.
Nakamura believes his background—particularly his experience racing Dallara-built cars in Japan—will aid his adaptation to F3 machinery.
“Having raced in Japan, where the car was also built by Dallara, it’s similar. There are some differences, like the tyres for example, but generally I felt the car was similar to what I’ve experienced.”
Post-season testing
Nakamura has also participated in the post-season testing along with the rest of the 2026 F3 grid at the end of the 2025 F3 season. The results of testing are greatly encouraging for the Japanese driver who enjoyed his time on track in the F3 livery.
“It was so nice to drive, enjoyable to drive across all three of the post-season tests and it was good to get that experience driving the car.”
Off-track preparations
However, the preparation for his debut season does not end there. With only one Free Practice session scheduled per race weekend in F3, preparation away from the circuit will be critical, particularly for rookies unfamiliar with many of the tracks on the calendar. Nakamura plans to spend extensive time on the simulator at Hitech’s Silverstone base to familiarise himself with circuits and car setups.
“The big thing will be adapting to the tracks and the car with the short time in Practice on a race weekend. That will be important for everyone, and with only 40 minutes, I have to do a lot of work on the sim at the factory for preparation.”
“The most important thing will be what I can do off the track to find solutions in order to be fast. Off track work is the big area for me.”
Alongside factory simulator work, Nakamura has also been training on his own sim setup at home in preparation for pre-season testing.
Relocating closer to the team
To further streamline his preparation, Nakamura has relocated to Milton Keynes, placing him within close proximity to Hitech’s headquarters.The Japanese driver backed up his decision, stating it would streamline his preparation for his 2026 F3 debut and greatly benefit him ahead of the season opener in Melbourne.
“I’ve moved to Milton Keynes, my apartment is 20 minutes away from Hitech. I have a gym there and will have my sim to practice over the winter. I can go to Hitech any time I need to drive on the sim and use the gym. It will be a nice lifestyle over the winter.”
With strong backing from Hitech TGR, extensive prior experience, and a focused off-season programme, Nakamura enters the 2026 Formula 3 season well-prepared for his next step on the international stage.
