As he switched to reigning F3 Teams’ Champion Campos Racing, Théophile2025 Macau Grand Prix winner Théophile Naël heads into his second FIA F3 season with Campos Racing, carrying confidence and clear ambitions. approaches his second season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with confidence, maturity and a growing sense of expectation. After an impressive rookie F3 campaign and a headline-grabbing victory at the 2025 Macau Grand Prix, the Frenchman now prepares for 2026 with renewed belief and a clear objective: to convert promise into consistent results at the front of the field.
Winter work lays the foundations for a competitive 2026 F3 season
During the off-season, Naël has focused heavily on preparation, placing particular emphasis on technical understanding and building strong relationships within his new team. Rather than easing into the break, he has treated the winter as an opportunity to accelerate his learning curve and arrive at pre-season testing fully prepared.
“We are pushing quite a lot,” he explained to FIA Formula 3. “I’ve been working with my engineer to get up to speed as much as possible and I feel really that we know each other very well.
“Winning Macau – of course, the victory helps a lot in terms of confidence. As well, I think it was the 2025 season. It was already a good first season in F3 for a rookie so, yeah, I’m really looking forward to the 2026 season.”
That Macau triumph proved especially significant. Not only did it place Naël among an elite list of junior drivers, but it also validated the progress he made throughout his debut F3 campaign.
Early integration at Campos Racing strengthens confidence for 2026
Importantly, Naël’s transition to Campos Racing began before the end of last season. By working with a Campos engineer during the Macau event, he gained early insight into the team’s methods and philosophy, which helped him hit the ground running.
“I had a Campos engineer with me in Macau so, even before the start of this campaign, it was a good choice to finish the last season with a Campos engineer. Obviously, this victory helped a lot in terms of confidence and the whole season was really, really good, especially when you finish one season like that.”
That early collaboration allowed Naël to carry momentum seamlessly from 2025 into his preparations for 2026, reinforcing his belief that the move came at the right time.
From strong rookie to genuine contender
Naël ended his rookie season inside the top ten in the Drivers’ Championship, claiming two second-place finishes and delivering a standout podium in Melbourne. Those results highlighted both his speed and adaptability, particularly in high-pressure situations.
Now entering his second year, Naël aims to take the next logical step. He no longer approaches weekends purely as learning exercises; instead, he wants to fight regularly for victories and establish himself as a consistent front-runner.
Naël respects the challenge ahead with Campos Racing in the 2026 F3 championship
Despite the confidence surrounding his recent form and team change, Naël remains realistic about the demands of Formula 3. He understands that progress is rarely linear and that every race weekend presents its own challenges.
“It’s always really helpful to prepare the new season with positive momentum. But now that it’s time for a new chapter, new team, second year in this category, we know that F3 is not that easy, and in fact it is going to be really, really hard.”
He also underlined how fine the margins remain in such a competitive championship, where points, confidence and momentum intertwine.
“Every race means a lot in terms of points, and of confidence as well. So, yeah, let’s see. But, of course, Macau has been a really, really good race for me and for sure my best race so far.
“It’s a nice bonus to be joining the reigning Teams’ Champions. I will be trying to do my best every session, but seeing as they have just won the Teams’ Championship already, they are bringing a lot already.”
Settling into a new environment
Beyond performance, Naël has also spoken positively about the atmosphere within Campos Racing. He feels comfortable within the team and believes cultural similarities help create a productive working environment.
“I hope they will bring me a lot during the season as well. But the approach, the atmosphere is totally different to what I was used to. To be honest, Spanish people and French people, we are quite close in terms of mentality. So, I think it’s nice to join this team.”
That sense of belonging has already contributed to his smooth adaptation ahead of pre-season testing.
Naël focused on execution from Round 1 in Melbourne
As the season opener in Melbourne approaches, Naël feels mentally and physically ready. Albert Park already holds positive memories, having delivered his first F3 podium, and he now targets even stronger results.
“I’m just focusing on what I’m doing, the job will be the same as last season. Now, my job will be to put everything together every weekend, every Qualifying especially. For me, that will be the key.
He concluded, “I’m really looking forward to this season. I’m preparing really, really hard in terms of physical work, mentality, consistency, everything. I’m trying to put everything for this season.”
With experience, confidence and a title-winning team behind him, Théophile Naël enters 2026 as a driver ready to transform momentum into results. No longer a newcomer, he now carries the expectations of a genuine contender as he prepares to write the next chapter of his Formula 3 journey.
