Théophile Naël heads into the next phase of the 2026 F3 season determined to build on the impressive pace he displayed during the opening round in Melbourne. Although a false-start penalty denied the Campos Racing driver a potential Feature Race victory in Australia, the weekend still underlined the strength of both the Frenchman and his team.
Naël consistently ran at the front throughout the event and secured the first pole position of the 2026 campaign, giving Campos Racing an early statement of intent. Consequently, despite the disappointment of missing out on a major result, the French driver left Australia with confidence rather than frustration.
Now, after several weeks of preparation and development work away from the track, Naël believes Campos Racing can continue its strong start as the championship resumes on the streets of Monaco.
Naël reflects on intensive preparation during the 2026 F3 break between Melbourne and Monaco
Naël spent the break between rounds focusing heavily on both physical preparation and technical development with Campos Racing. The French driver travelled to Valencia in order to continue training while also helping the team improve the car ahead of the European phase of the season.
As a result, he arrives in Monaco feeling refreshed, prepared and motivated for the challenges that lie ahead.
“I’ve been training quite a lot, and doing some things with the team. I went to Valencia a few weeks to train, and to try to develop the car with the team as well,” he explained to Formula 3.
“I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season. The next round in Monaco will be the restart of the season. We still have eight rounds left, so it will be quite interesting. Let’s see how it will go. I think the mindset and how I’m approaching the next round will be the same as in Melbourne.”
Importantly, Naël does not intend to change his mentality after the setback in Australia. Instead, he wants to continue trusting the pace and rhythm that already allowed him to compete at the front during the season opener.
Furthermore, the Campos driver appears encouraged by the work completed behind the scenes during the break, particularly with development efforts aimed at extracting even more performance from the package.
Confidence remains high after Melbourne
Even though the final Melbourne result failed to reflect his outright speed, Naël believes the opening weekend confirmed that Campos Racing possesses a genuinely competitive car capable of fighting for victories throughout the season.
The Frenchman also feels the short break provided an important opportunity to mentally reset before the demanding run of European races begins.
“I have had time to reset, that’s for sure. But what I need to think is that the pace was there. We were strong the whole weekend. I have no doubt about my speed, and about the team. I’m fully confident. The season is still really long. Everything can happen in F3. I will not push more than what I was doing, just keep driving.”
Additionally, his confidence in the team environment at Campos Racing continues to grow after the encouraging signs shown in Melbourne. The early pace demonstrated by the squad has strengthened belief that the team can remain among the championship contenders throughout 2026.
Red Bull Ring test could shape the season
Alongside his preparations for Monaco, Naël also highlighted the importance of the upcoming in-season test at the Red Bull Ring. The two-day test in Spielberg could provide teams and drivers with valuable information before the championship enters a crucial stage.
According to Naël, the Austrian circuit offers ideal conditions for evaluating performance, improving balance and refining setups across different conditions.
“Red Bull Ring will be quite interesting and quite important for us. It will be a really important test. I think Red Bull Ring is a good track to test as well. It will be a good wake-up test.”
Consequently, Campos Racing will look to maximise every lap during the Spielberg running as the team searches for additional gains in pace and consistency.
Monaco challenge awaits Campos Racing
Looking ahead to Monaco, Naël expects a difficult but exciting restart to the season. Nevertheless, the Campos Racing driver remains optimistic after the team’s strong start to the year and believes they can once again challenge near the front.
In particular, Qualifying could become the defining factor around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo, where overtaking opportunities remain extremely limited and track position often dictates race outcomes.
“To restart there will not be easy, but that’s the same for every driver on the grid. I think we have quite a good advantage of where we are in the pitlane. It will be important to make some clean laps and to be fighting for the pole.
“I need to work really hard every weekend. I also have really good teammates. We are pushing each other to the top, but I think that’s good because we are pushing the team as well to develop the car. I will take it round by round, keep working and stay calm. I think that’s the most important and that’s what I learned from last year as well.”
Moreover, Naël hopes the experience he gained during his rookie appearance around Monaco last season will help him approach the weekend with greater confidence and understanding.
As the 2026 F3 campaign resumes, Naël appears determined to combine confidence with composure. Melbourne already demonstrated his raw speed and ability to compete at the front and now, Monaco will now provide another major test of both driver and team. However, with Campos Racing showing encouraging early-season form and Naël maintaining a calm and disciplined mindset, the Frenchman could emerge as one of the standout contenders as the championship returns to action in the Principality.
