Rodin Motorsport delivered its strongest weekend of the 2026 F3 season so far in Monaco, as Brando Badoer and Pedro Clerot both stood on the podium for the British-based team.
Badoer claimed the standout result with victory in the Feature Race after starting from second on the grid. Meanwhile, Clerot secured his first F3 podium after officials promoted him to third in Saturday’s Sprint Race.
The results gave Rodin an important boost at the start of the European leg of the campaign. Moreover, Team Manager Sam Waple believes the performance reflected the preparation completed during the break between the opening two rounds.
Waple says Rodin arrived in Monaco with confidence
Rodin entered the 2026 Monaco F3 weekend with belief after showing strong pace at the venue in 2025. The team had already taken a podium there through Roman Bilinski last season, and it once again found a competitive rhythm around the principality’s unforgiving streets.
Waple said the team felt positive from the start of the weekend after Free Practice confirmed its early expectations.
“We came into the weekend really confident,” Waple admitted to Formula 3 on Sunday after Badoer’s win. “We had a good package last year here, so we knew that we could be on the front foot.
“In Free Practice, we already started quite well, so we were fairly confident going into Qualifying. To have these results is brilliant for everyone, for the drivers, for the team. It’s really needed.”
That confidence quickly translated into results. Therefore, Rodin left Monaco with two podium finishes and a clear step forward after a demanding start to the campaign.
Rodin Motorsport’s Monaco form continues in 2026 after 2025 F3 podium
Although Waple could not identify one single reason behind Rodin’s strong Monaco performances, he pointed to preparation and experience as key factors.
The team has now fought at the front in at least one Monaco race during consecutive F3 seasons. As a result, the circuit has become a place where Rodin has repeatedly shown its potential against a highly competitive field.
“I don’t know why exactly, we’ve always sort of clicked here. It’s just one of those circuits where we come to a bit of good knowledge of what we need to do.
“We do a lot of prep for it. You want to kick off the European season well, so we’ve obviously had a bit more time with the break. We just came here quite confident.
“It was very important to get some momentum too. In June and July, we’ve got many race weekends back-to-back. For everyone’s confidence and for the drivers to keep moving forward, I think it is important.
“You carry the momentum through. Hopefully, we can roll on to next week and have another good one.”
With several rounds now arriving in quick succession, Rodin’s Monaco breakthrough could prove especially valuable. The team not only collected strong points, but it also gave both drivers confidence before the calendar intensifies.
Badoer converts front-row start into maiden F3 win
Badoer produced the biggest result of his F3 career in Sunday’s Feature Race. The Italian lined up second, but he made the better start and passed pole-sitter Théophile Nael in the opening metres.
From there, he controlled the race with maturity. He also managed the Safety Car restart effectively and kept the chasing pack behind him to claim his first victory in the championship.
Waple praised Badoer’s composure after the race and highlighted the work that had gone into the result.
“He had it completely under control. You could tell on the radio that he was aware of the job he had to do. Once he got in the lead off the start, it was just his race to manage really. He did a great job and credit to him.
“His work ethic, his dedication is higher than most drivers here. He’s earned it. I’m really, really happy for him.”
The victory in Monaco also lifted Badoer to fourth in the 2026 F3 Drivers’ Championship heading into Round 3. Consequently, he now carries fresh momentum into Barcelona as he looks to build on his strongest F3 weekend to date.
Clerot adds first F3 podium to Rodin’s Monte Carlo tally
While Badoer took the headlines on Sunday, Clerot also left Monaco with a major milestone. The Brazilian earned his first FIA F3 top-three finish after his promotion to third in the Sprint Race.
The result added further weight to Rodin’s successful weekend and gave Clerot an important reward as he continues to progress in the championship.
Although his podium came after the race, it still marked a significant step forward. Additionally, it ensured Rodin had both cars contributing to a standout points haul across the Monaco event.
Rodin turns attention to Barcelona challenge after 2026 Monaco success
Rodin will now attempt to carry its Monaco momentum into this weekend’s round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. However, the Spanish venue presents a very different challenge from Monte Carlo.
Unlike the narrow street circuit in Monaco, Barcelona features a broader range of corner speeds and places greater emphasis on overall car balance. Teams also completed pre-season testing there earlier this year, which should tighten the field further.
Waple, therefore, expects a difficult weekend, particularly in qualifying, but he wants Rodin to approach the round with the same standards that delivered success in Monaco.
“It will be very tough. Obviously, we do a lot of testing there. It’s always very tight in Qualifying. We’ll just have to do our best and hope for another good result.
“We can get some good points, that’s the main thing, It’s a very different circuit, very different characteristics than here. But we’ll enter with the same goal, and the same effort from everyone. Hopefully, it will go well.”
After two podium results and a maiden F3 victory in Monaco, Rodin Motorsport heads to Barcelona with renewed belief. The team now needs to turn that confidence into another strong weekend as the European season gathers pace.
