The 2025 Formula 3 grid is starting to take shape. In recent days the preparatory series has kicked off the first post-season test session in Jerez, with the teams evaluating the drivers to choose for next season. Although a team tends to choose to run end-of-year tests with the drivers it will then hire for the next championship, things don’t always coincide.
In the meantime, however, some Formula 3 teams have already begun to reveal the first official names for 2025, including the protagonists of the current season in Formula Regional, who will make the leap to the Circus next year. Even though there is still one race left until the end of the championship, Rafael Camara has already won the title in advance, thus gaining the pace that will allow him to move up in category next year.
However, the Ferrari Driver Academy driver will not face the new championship with Prema, the team with which he spent the three years of his single-seater career, but will go with Trident, the team that in the last two years has led Gabriel Bortoleto to triumph and Leonardo Fornaroli.
Rafael Camara
Photo by: Ferrari
Winner of several karting competitions, Camara then moved to Formula 4 with Prema after joining the Ferrari Driver Academy, where he achieved third place in both the Italian and German championships. Last season he moved up to Formula Regional, in the same year in which Andrea Kimi Antonelli won, where he then remained for a second year, winning the title.
“I’m very happy to join Trident, it’s a great team and it’s very nice to be part of it. I can’t wait to start working with everyone and see what we can achieve together,” said Camara.
“Naturally the expectations are high, I think that next year we will definitely aim to fight for the championship. I know that it won’t be easy and that for the moment we still have a lot of work to do because it’s not just a new car but also a new team , so everything will be new to me.”
Next year, in fact, a new car will debut which will be similar in principle to Formula 1 in terms of ground effect, although not as extreme, so even drivers with greater experience will have to readapt, although they will clearly already start with a useful baggage behind you.
Tuukka Taponen, ART GP
Photo by: ART Grand Prix
The other news is that ART Grand Prix has signed Tuukka Taponen for 2025, another young driver from the Maranello junior team. After a good debut season in FRECA, Taponen made his debut with the team this year at Spa-Francorchamps, qualifying 13th and finishing his first race in 14th place, although he actually made good impressions in his only weekend in Formula 3 beyond the final result.
In 2024 the Finn raced in Formula Regional with R-ace GP, winning the title in the Middle Eastern category with five poles and five victories, while in the European championship he is currently in third place with one weekend remaining in the championship. The Finn also has the theoretical chance of finishing in second place, snatching it from James Wharton, former FDA driver.
“I am really excited to have signed with ART GP for the 2025 Formula 3 season,” said the 17-year-old Finn.
“They showed interest in me already in the summer, giving me the opportunity to participate in a FIA F3 weekend in Spa. The team immediately impressed me both on and off the track and it felt like I was coming home. ART GP has a history long and successful and I want to be part of it in the future too. ART GP is a familiar team for us Finns. For example, Valtteri Bottas won the championship with the ART GP team before moving to Formula 1.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Tuukka Taponen to the team for 2025,” said Sebastien Philippe, ART GP team principal. “He is a young driver with great potential and his performances at Spa demonstrated that he has what it takes to succeed. We are excited to see how he will develop in the new era of F3 and are confident that he will be an important asset to the squad”.
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