16 year-old Colombian driver Salim Hanna will step in for an injured Brad Benavides at AIX Racing, who remains sidelined following an injury sustained in Monaco, for the 2026 F3 Spielberg round this weekend. In just his second full season in single-seaters, Hanna will rise to the challenge of joining the FIA Formula 3 grid in Austria and is set to make his championship debut this weekend.
Heading into the fourth round of the season, AIX Racing welcomes Benavides’ second replacement. In Barcelona, the team fielded 21 year-old Mexican driver Ricardo Escotto last weekend, who qualified P29 and finished P22 and P23 in the Sprint and Feature Race, respectively.
Hanna: A promising young talent on the rise
Having started karting at the age of seven, Hanna continues his journey through the single-seater ladder where he currently races in the Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) with PREMA Racing. He made his single-seater debut in the Formula Trophy UAE in 2024, finishing 7th in the standings with 40 points.
Despite limited experience in single-seaters, this did not hold him back in his first full season. In 2025, the 16 year-old competed in both the Italian F4 and E4 Championships with PREMA Racing, where he finished 4th and 7th in the standings, respectively. In his Italian F4 campaign, Hanna claimed six podiums and one pole position, an impressive feat for a young talent in his first season in single-seaters. During the year, he also made appearances in two British F4 rounds, where he secured his maiden single-seater victory on debut at Thruxton.
In the lead-up to the 2026 season, Hanna took part in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy, where he finished 10th in the standings with 54 points and a win. Stepping up to FREC this year, the Colombian has clearly found momentum as he continues with the Italian outfit, currently sitting 6th in the standings with two podium finishes and 59 points.
AIX Racing welcomes Hanna ahead of his debut at 2026 F3 Spielberg round
Welcoming Hanna to the team, Team Manager Kenny Kirwan said: “We are pleased to welcome Salim Hanna to the team for the upcoming FIA Formula 3 event. Salim has demonstrated strong commitment, professionalism and potential throughout his development, and we are looking forward to working with him in a competitive race environment. The Red Bull Ring is a demanding circuit that rewards confidence and precision, and our objective will be to help Salim settle in quickly and maximize every session. We are confident he will make the most of this opportunity, and the entire team is excited to support him throughout the weekend and beyond.”
Excited about the opportunity ahead, Hanna said: “I want to thank god for this opportunity. I am excited to join the FIA Formula 3 with AIX Racing this weekend and I am looking forward to learn, improve and drive the Formula 3 car overall.”
