This weekend marks Round 4 of the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship, as the series heads to the iconic Monte Carlo street circuit in Monaco. Measuring just 3.34 kilometres, the narrow and unforgiving layout makes qualifying especially critical.
Joining Rodin Motorsport for the 2025 campaign, Roman Bilinski is set to make his debut at the legendary venue. After a fairly average outing for the team in Monaco last year, Bilinski will be aiming to extract the maximum from the weekend.
Speaking during the F3 Monaco Grand Prix media day, Bilinski shared his thoughts ahead of the event.
Keeping momentum after a podium on debut
Bilinski made his FIA Formula 3 debut in Melbourne back in March, enjoying a highly successful opening weekend. He claimed his first podium in the Sprint Race with an impressive P3 finish.
However, the momentum didn’t carry over to the following round in Bahrain, where the weekend proved more challenging. A tough Sprint Race saw him finish down in 20th, though he showed improvement in the Feature Race, recovering to take P13. Reflecting on the weekend, Bilinski stated:
“Yeah, it’s a very good start to the season. A little bit unfortunate in Bahrain, to be honest. I’d be liking to be a bit further up in the championship.”
After a weekend in Bahrain that stood in stark contrast to his strong debut in Australia, it was important for Bilinski to bounce back in Imola. He qualified sixth and delivered solid performances across both races, securing P5 in the Sprint and P8 in the Feature.
With such a promising start to the season overall, both Bilinski and Rodin Motorsport have every reason to be encouraged. Aware of the potential they possess, the team is focused on building momentum as the championship progresses.
“But no, like you said, it’s been a good start and I think myself and Rodin have worked very hard. So we’re all very happy and you know, there’s a lot of potential as well for the ongoing rounds. No, we’re all in positive spirits. So let’s see how it can go.”
The challenges of the Monaco GP
The Monaco Grand Prix is renowned for its difficulty, and the FIA Formula 3 edition is no exception. Bilinski spoke about the unique challenges the circuit presents, and how he plans to approach them.
The Monte Carlo street circuit is notoriously narrow, with cars running just centimetres from the barriers for almost the entire lap. As a result, red flags are virtually inevitable, and every lap becomes vital in both qualifying and the races.
“Yeah, it’s one of those tracks you need to build the confidence up pretty quickly as well as you don’t have many laps and anything can happen here with red flags.
“So you always need to be on the limit, but of course not over it as it’s pretty punishing around here.
For a rookie like Bilinski, with no prior experience around the streets of Monte Carlo, additional challenges are to be expected. The Rodin driver explained that he has been putting in extensive hours on the simulator, as well as closely analysing onboard footage and race videos, to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
“But I think we’ve all done a lot of sim work and seen so many videos and things like this that we’re all prepared for this.”
Track evolution a critical factor
As with many circuits, track evolution is a key factor in Monaco – but the stakes are even higher here. For rookies in particular, it can pose a significant challenge. Drivers must push to the limit on every lap and make the most of every opportunity to set a competitive time. Should a red flag be brought out before a driver manages to post their best lap, they risk starting from a far-from-ideal position on the grid.
“Yeah, like Ugo said, there’s going to be a lot of track evolution. It’s building up, but also you have to be on the limit.
“You can’t leave that time on the table as well, otherwise, there’s going to be big gaps and maybe too much to gain in a different session like quali or something like this.”
The global stage of Monaco, and it’s accompanying pressure
The Monaco Grand Prix is showcased on the global stage that Formula 1 provides, and with that comes added pressure for drivers across all categories. It’s no secret that winning on the streets of Monte Carlo is a dream for many, making it one of the most coveted – and challenging – events on the calendar. Ahead of the FIA Formula 3 round, Bilinski spoke about the pressure surrounding the weekend.
Bilinski acknowledged that Monaco is one of those circuits where a driver simply has to give it their all. Like with any new track, it’s a process of continuous learning and adaptation, with each lap providing valuable experience.
“But, you know, it’s just one of those things. You’re going to keep pushing and keep doing the best you can and keep learning. That’s our sport. It’s no different, I think, to any track we go to for the first time. You just learn and improve.”
For Bilinski, however, Monaco doesn’t bring any added pressure. The Rodin Motorsport driver views it much like any other circuit on the calendar. While he acknowledges the legendary status and rich history of Monte Carlo – and the desire every driver has to perform well there – he maintains that giving his best is what truly matters.
“I would say, no, for myself there’s no added pressure.Of course, it would be lovely to win or do well at a track like Monaco because it’s Monaco, but there’s no added pressure.
“I go into every session just wanting to do the best job I can do and perform in the best way possible. And this is my only focus when I go into each session. Of course, it’s great that it’s Monaco, but this is it.”
The influence and inspiration of previous drivers in Monaco
When asked about the inspiration they’ve taken from F1 drivers in Monaco, Bilinski pointed to a fan-favourite moment from Max Verstappen.The Brit spoke about Verstappen’s 2023 Monaco GP qualifying lap, which narrowly snatched pole position from Alonso.
Bilinski said: “Yeah, I also would say the Verstappen pole lap was pretty cool”. He followed on from this to speak about Senna’s talent around Monaco. He admires the ability that Senna had to go flat out each lap, narrowly missing disaster.
“But also, I’d say Senna, back in the day when he was pushing flat out every lap and really had a crazy victory by an incredible margin.
“But, you know, it’s nearly before a crash, but it was an incredible achievement either way, pushing that hard every lap on the limit is pretty cool.”
Taking inspiration and influence from legendary drivers like Verstappen and Senna, is another way Bilinski has subconsciously prepared to race Monaco himself over the GP weekend.
