Ernesto Rivera enters the final round of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 season third in the F3 Drivers’ Championship, with the Campos Racing driver focused on securing a place on the final championship podium in Madrid.
Rivera spoke during a virtual media event ahead of the Madrid F3 round, attended by Pit Debrief, where he discussed the demands of the new Madring, the value of last month’s two-day test and the additional pressure created by the expanded finale format. Although the Mexican remains mathematically involved in the title fight, he acknowledged that third place represents the more realistic objective heading into the weekend.
The finale also carries wider significance for Campos Racing. All three of its drivers have won races in 2026, while Ugo Ugochukwu remains in the title fight and both Rivera and Théophile Naël are among the leading contenders for third. Their collective results will also contribute towards Campos’ attempt to secure the Teams’ Championship on home soil.
Rivera impressed by F3’s new Madrid circuit in 2026
Rivera came away from his first experience of the Madring impressed by the combination of speed and technical difficulty. He described the circuit as a driver-focused venue with a mixture of low- and high-speed sections, although he also identified overtaking as one of the potential challenges.
“The track is really fun, super tricky, super fast. A very driver-focused track. And I think it has a little bit of everything: low speed, high speed, curves. It’s a bit hard to overtake, I would say. But that was my first impression: a very driver-focused track, I would say, and a bit old-school as well.”
That character gives Rivera a demanding final test as he looks to protect third in the standings. With the circuit rewarding precision and commitment, his ability to put together a complete lap will form an important part of the weekend.
Rivera expects 2026 F3 Madrid conditions to differ from testing
The F3 field completed two days of running at the Madring last month, giving the drivers their first experience of the venue before returning for the competitive weekend. Rivera viewed the test as important preparation but expects the circuit to feel different once Formula 1 and Formula 2 contribute additional rubber.
He also highlighted the timing of Friday evening’s Qualifying sessions, which should create different track conditions from those the field experienced during testing.
“For me, it was important. Well, it’s good that we had the two days of tests here. Obviously, the track will be super, super different now with the F1 and F2 rubber. So, just basically getting up to speed and finding a good rhythm in FP. But in Quali, the track will be completely different, being at 6 p.m. So, good to drive around here, but I think it will be very different from the test.”
Rivera therefore sees the previous running as a useful reference rather than a direct indication of what to expect during the race weekend. Finding a rhythm quickly in Free Practice will allow him to assess how much the circuit has changed before the two Qualifying sessions later that day.
Rivera calls 2026 F3 Madrid the “trickiest track” he has driven
The August test featured 19 red flags, underlining the small margins around the new circuit. Rivera described Madring as the trickiest track he has driven and pointed particularly to the speed at which the barriers approach on corner exits.
The back-to-back Qualifying sessions will add another consideration. Rivera suggested that drivers may take a slightly different approach to risk between Q1 and Q2, although both sessions require a competitive lap.
“As both of them said, it’s a pretty driver-focused track. It’s very tricky, for sure. The trickiest track I’ve driven in my life. Super high speed, the walls come super fast at you, especially on the exits. So, excited. It’s going to be an intense Qualifying, having them back-to-back, and you have to get a good lap in both. Maybe not risk it so much in Q1 and push a bit more in Q2.
“But it’s a very driver-focused track. You need to be super on the limit to be quick. And excited, as Freddie said, for Qualifying, low fuel in the afternoon, new tyres. So, for sure it will be exciting.”
His assessment places particular importance on finding the balance between commitment and completing a clean lap. Both Qualifying sessions directly affect the weekend’s race grids, so Rivera will need to produce representative laps in each rather than relying on one session.
Rivera identifies key sections of 2026 F3 Madrid lap
Rivera considers the opening sector relatively straightforward compared with the remainder of the circuit. From Sector 2 onwards, the lap becomes more demanding through the faster sections, consecutive corners and the Monumental.
He singled out Turns 10, 11, 18 and 19 as areas where the risk increases, but also stressed that leaving too much margin will cost too much lap time in Qualifying.
“For me, Sector 1 is more about the low speed and it’s easier corners. But from Sector 2 onwards, it gets more tricky with the high speed and more back-to-back corners and the Monumental. And I think it’s just about nailing everything because also there’s very high risk, especially Turns 10, 11, 18 and 19. But if you leave margin there, there’s no way you can be in the top three in Quali. So, I just think it will be about nailing the lap.”
The need to put every section together fits with Rivera’s wider focus on execution. With several drivers close behind him in the standings, a strong Qualifying performance would provide the foundation for his attempt to retain third.
More running changes demands of 2026 F3 Madrid finale
Madrid uses a different format from the previous eight rounds, with two Qualifying sessions, a Sprint Race and two Feature Races. Rivera welcomes the additional track time after a season in which F3 drivers have often completed only a limited number of laps before and during Qualifying.
However, he also expects the extended programme and the physical nature of the Madring to make the weekend demanding.
“As Freddie said, I think it will be very fun to have more laps, as usually you get very few laps in FP, maybe four or five laps, and in Qualifying, three or four laps. So, it will be fun to have more laps, more new tyres, more racing. It will probably be tough on everything. Also, the track is quite physical. So, let’s see what the racing is like.”
The expanded programme gives Rivera more opportunities to score across the final weekend, but it also increases the amount of racing he and his rivals must manage before the championship order becomes final on Sunday.
Rivera admits Madrid format adds pressure
During the virtual media event, Pit Debrief asked Rivera whether having two Qualifying sessions, a Sprint Race and two Feature Races reduces the pressure by providing more opportunities to recover, or increases it because the championship can change more dramatically.
Rivera said he intends to approach Madrid in the same way as a conventional F3 weekend, although he acknowledged that the greater number of available points adds pressure, particularly in the fight for third.
“For me also, I will treat it as a normal F3 weekend. But, for sure, I think there’s a bit more tension and pressure because there are more points available. And, as they said, especially for the fight for P3, there’s a bunch of drivers who can do well and be on the Championship podium.
“So, I will try to treat it as a normal F3 weekend. But I think, for sure, there will be a bit more added pressure because there are many points available.”
Rivera therefore wants to keep his normal working approach despite the different schedule. The championship position remains important, but his focus stays on producing strong individual sessions rather than changing his preparation around the additional points on offer.
Rivera targets third in 2026 F3 Championship at Madrid
Rivera arrives in Madrid third in the Drivers’ Championship and leads a closely matched group behind Slater and Ugochukwu. Although he remains mathematically eligible for the title, he acknowledged that securing third represents his more realistic target.
After reviewing the standings following Monza, Rivera recognised how little separates the group around him. His response has been to focus on his own Qualifying and race performances instead of concentrating on each driver pursuing him.
“After Monza, I took a look at the points standings and we are all super close from third to 12th. I think we’re within 20 points. So, everyone’s still in the fight for third place. I will just try not to think much about that and execute a good Qualifying and good races, and try to pick up as many points as possible. But I know if I do a good job this weekend, there’s a chance to grab third place.”
That approach keeps the objective straightforward. Rivera begins the weekend in the position he wants to retain and intends to maximise his own points return rather than manage the finale around individual rivals.
Rivera discusses Campos objectives at 2026 F3 Madrid finale
Campos Racing arrives at its home event with its three drivers pursuing different goals. Ugochukwu remains in contention for the Drivers’ Championship, while Rivera and Naël sit in the closely contested fight for third. At the same time, the team has the opportunity to secure the Teams’ Championship.
Asked how Campos would manage those different objectives, Rivera said he expects the team to handle Madrid like a normal race weekend without beginning the event with team orders.
“As Ugo said, I think it will be another weekend. The team will treat it as a normal weekend, a home race. So, I don’t think there will be any team orders or something. But mathematically, I’m still in the fight for the Championship. But more realistically, I’m more in the fight for third place. And I think if all three of us do a good job, we can also secure the Teams’ Championship.”
The three Campos drivers can therefore concentrate on their individual results while contributing towards the same team objective. Rivera’s own focus remains on third, while strong performances from the complete line-up would also strengthen Campos’ position in the Teams’ standings.
Rivera credits Campos for strong 2026 F3 campaign as Madrid finale looms
Campos has enjoyed success across its entire line-up in 2026, with Rivera, Ugochukwu and Naël all winning races. Rivera believes the internal competition between the three drivers has helped raise the performance level throughout the season.
He also credited the work of the team and the way the drivers have pushed one another both in the simulator and during race weekends.
“As you say, all of us, the three drivers, have won a race. I think we have a very strong line-up. Also, the team has been working really hard. We’ve all pushed each other a lot in the simulator, in the race weekends. So, that’s, I think, why we all have a race win.”
That collective performance has placed Campos in a strong position entering its home finale and given each of its three drivers something significant to fight for during the final weekend.
Rivera focused on execution in 2026 F3 Madrid finale
Rivera enters Madrid with several objectives still open. He remains mathematically in contention for the Drivers’ title, currently occupies third and can help Campos secure the Teams’ Championship.
Throughout the virtual media event, however, Rivera repeatedly centred his approach on execution. He wants to adapt quickly to the different track conditions, produce two strong Qualifying sessions and maximise his opportunities across the three races rather than become distracted by the number of drivers around him in the standings.
The Madring provides a demanding setting for that task, with Rivera describing it as the trickiest circuit he has driven. As his 2026 F3 campaign reaches its conclusion in Madrid, his immediate objective remains clear: deliver a strong final weekend and secure third in the Drivers’ Championship.
