Interview
Shin looking forward to Hitech TGR graduation after positive start
Michael Shin says that it is an “honour” to be returning to FIA Formula 3 with Hitech TGR in 2026. The South Korean driver last raced in F3 back in 2023, but will commence his first full-time campaign with the British outfit next year.
Shin has already been hard at work with the team across post-season testing, but sat down to reflect on the next step of his career and what comes next in his F3 journey.
“It’s an honour. Coming back to a team that I’ve had a little bit of experience with has made the integration a little bit easier. I was better prepared because I knew a lot of the team members already.
“I also know how the team functions quite well, because I have been with them in a different category, we still follow the same pre-event process, sim work and race weekend routine. So in that sense, it does help that I’ve already worked with the team in the past.
“But, at the same time, there’s also a big difference coming up to F3 because it’s a much higher level, so I still need to get used to some new things.”
Diving into the details of what he’s learned already at this early stage of his 2026 preparations, Shin says that the unique challenges posed by F3 will need adapting to.
Chiefly, the requirement to hit the ground running in Qualifying will go a long way in deciding whether a weekend is successful or more difficult. But he says his prior experience of a race weekend will count in his favour.
“For me, I don't think it's the weekend format that most difficult to adjust to. I think it's the fact that you're using a tyre that's very peaky, and you have to deliver on that one push lap, because, in a lot of other series, you get multiple goes at it.
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“Whereas in F3, you really need to get top of your game as soon as the session starts. I would say that it definitely does help having done a race already, because I’ll be going to Melbourne knowing what to expect. Yes, the car has changed, and it's a new team, but the weekend format is still the same.”
After completing F3 post-season testing, the Hitech driver says he has begun to build up his endurance and leg strength in preparation for a full F3 campaign.
Braking demand and longer races are the focus of his winter work away from the race track, while he will be in regular contact with Hitech as they get ready for pre-season testing and Melbourne next year.
“I would say it was overall positive. The first test at Jerez, and the day in Barcelona I did was quite strong. I struggled a bit more in Imola, but this was all happening whilst I was rounding off my season in Euroformula. So, it's quite it was a very busy month, and I was also fighting for the championship, so there was a lot going on.
“Overall, it felt like the new car was very nice to drive, not too different from the car used up until 2024, but also there were little changes, like the tub, the seat was a bit more accommodating to a wider variety of drivers.
“I've learned so much during those season testing days, and I’m very excited and looking forward to next season.
“The biggest thing for me now is upping my physical preparation, because F3 is a lot harder than any other car I've driven in relation to braking demand. So I'm really going to have to work on lower body strength, and also the races are becoming longer, so that's good endurance as well. That's going to be a key factor for me.”