Monza, penultimate chapter in FIA Formula 3 title fight
The summer break has come to an end just as the season itself enters its final stages, meaning the FIA Formula 3 action will resume with only two rounds remaining to decide the 2026 champions. In just two weeks’ time, we will know the winners of this year’s campaign, with the eighth round of the calendar taking place at Monza this weekend before the season finale follows just seven days later in Madrid.
But how does the situation look ahead of these decisive weeks? At least from Campos Racing’s perspective, very positive indeed. The Alzira-based outfit leads the Teams’ Championship with no fewer than 269 points. Campos Racing, which is defending the Teams’ title secured in 2025, has shown tremendous strength throughout the season, scoring six victories, three second places and four third places, as well as two pole positions and three fastest laps. Ahead of the Monza weekend, Campos Racing holds a 73-point advantage at the top of the standings.
And what about the Drivers’ Championship? The picture is not quite identical, but it is similarly encouraging. The trio of Ugo Ugochukwu, Théophile Naël and Ernesto Rivera are enjoying a sensational season, as reflected by their second, third and fourth positions in the overall standings.
Ugochukwu leads the pursuit of current championship leader Freddie Slater, with the American sitting on 122 points. Ugochukwu’s first victory came right at the start of the championship, back in March in Melbourne, where he won Sunday’s Feature Race. After scoring points in both Monaco races, he returned to the podium in Barcelona with a third place on Sunday before finishing second at Spielberg shortly afterwards. His second victory came at Silverstone, where he led from start to finish and completed the weekend with another podium in third place in the other race. At the Hungaroring, just before the summer break, he finished second. Ugochukwu is now just eight points behind Slater.
Naël has 75 points to his name, while Rivera is just behind on 72. The Frenchman claimed the first three pole positions of the season in Australia, Monaco and Catalunya, converting them into a second-place finish on the streets of the Principality and his maiden victory in Montmeló. After a few setbacks at the Red Bull Ring, the Frenchman finished third at Silverstone before returning to the top step of the podium in Hungary. Rivera, despite being a rookie, is showing exactly why he is a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. He made his debut with an impressive fifth place in Monaco, while his first victory came as early as the third meeting of the season, when he won the Sprint Race at Spielberg. His maiden Feature Race victory followed at Spa-Francorchamps. A third place at the Hungaroring has put him firmly among the small group of drivers still in contention for the championship.
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, as it is officially known, is the third-oldest circuit in the world, surpassed only by the now-defunct Brooklands and Indianapolis. Since opening its doors on 3 September 1922, Monza has become a legendary venue on the calendar thanks to its combination of extremely high speeds and fast corners. In its current configuration, which dates back to 2000, the circuit is 5.793 kilometres long and features corners that evoke both nostalgia and epic racing memories, including the Variante del Rettifilo, Lesmo, Variante Ascari and the famous Parabolica, which links the back straight with the start-finish straight.
The single-seaters will run low-downforce configurations, placing greater demands on the tyres due to the increased reliance on mechanical grip. To make matters even more challenging, temperatures above 30ºC are forecast, which will only add to tyre wear and degradation. Another key point of the weekend will be qualifying, where huge traffic jams are often seen as drivers try to avoid being overtaken while also ensuring they can benefit from the slipstream.
Free Practice will take place on Friday at 08:35, while qualifying will once again be split into two sessions for even- and odd-numbered cars, at 14:00 and 14:20 respectively. The Sprint Race will be held on Saturday at 09:30, with the Feature Race getting underway on Sunday at 08:15. All times are CET.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): “We are now entering the decisive part of the season and we are fully aware that the next two weekends will be crucial. We have continued working hard throughout the summer break, analysing everything that has happened so far and preparing as thoroughly as possible for these final two rounds. We arrive in Monza with Campos Racing leading the Teams’ Championship and with Ugo, Théophile and Ernesto occupying three of the top four positions in the Drivers’ Championship, so we are in a very strong position, but we know there is still a lot of work to do. Monza is always a very special and demanding circuit, where qualifying and the management of the slipstream can play a fundamental role. At this stage of the championship, any small mistake can have major consequences, so it will be essential to remain focused and execute every session and every race as well as possible. We have a very strong team and three drivers who have shown throughout the season that they have the speed and ability to fight for everything. Our objective is to keep working as we have done so far, make the most of our opportunities and arrive in Madrid with all our options still open. We are ready and very much looking forward to getting back to racing.”
