ART Grand Prix rookie Taito Kato says he is heading into Round 2 of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 (F3) season in Monaco full of confidence after topping last month’s in-season test at the Red Bull Ring.
The Japanese driver set the fastest overall time during the two-day Spielberg test and believes both he and ART Grand Prix are well placed to challenge near the front when the championship resumes on the streets of Monaco.
Speaking ahead of his first-ever race weekend in Monte Carlo, Kato explained that the lengthy break since Melbourne had made preparation particularly important, with the Spielberg test providing a valuable opportunity to reacclimatise to Formula 3 machinery.
“It’s been quite a while since Melbourne and I think it’s always difficult to adjust after that long, but I was doing quite well in the in-season test in Spielberg,” Kato said.
“I got a few runs in, and the car feels really good as well. Finally, being back in the car helped me a lot because I didn’t drive any car in two months.
“So, I think having that test was a big help to get my feeling in the car back. Formula 3 is always really difficult to adjust to because of the cornering speed and so much downforce.
“But I was doing a lot of preparation in the break, simulator work and physical preparation too. It’s always good to be back.”
Kato’s first time in Monaco
While the upcoming 2026 F3 Monaco weekend will mark Kato’s first visit to the iconic street circuit, he admitted he is eager to experience what many drivers consider one of motorsport’s greatest challenges.
“It’s my first ever time in Monaco,” he said. “Everyone says driving in Monaco is a special feeling, so I can’t wait to drive.”
Having ended the Spielberg test fastest overall, Kato revealed that confidence within both himself and the ART squad is high heading into the second round of the campaign.
Although the characteristics of the Red Bull Ring differ significantly from Monaco’s narrow streets, Kato believes the test provided important preparation following the extended gap between race weekends.
“To be honest, we have quite a lot of confidence,” he explained. “I think we can fight for the top five because the car was really good and the team did a really good job so far.
“There are no second-year drivers, so no experience at all in the team, but we are doing pretty well so far.
“So I think we have quite a good level of confidence for the rest of the season. ART have a lot of data, so I think it’s helping a lot for me, especially as there’s not so much on-track time in Formula 3.
“You only get 45 minutes in Practice and then go to Qualifying, so we have to take as much as we can from the data.”
Qualifying set to be crucial
Looking ahead to the weekend itself, Kato expects to be in contention during Friday’s crucial Qualifying session and is targeting a strong haul of points as he begins building momentum in the championship fight.
“For sure, my target is getting a win, but it’s not so easy, to be honest,” he said.
“Formula 3 is always a high level of competition and really tight in qualifying as well. So I think my target is really consistent results. I think we’ll gain some points this weekend and then just focus on the championship going forward.”
