Round 7 Thoughts from the Top 3

FIA Formula 3: Hello and welcome to Silverstone where we hear the thoughts from the top three finishers in today’s FIA Formula 3 Feature Race. In third place we have Mari Boya from Campos, second is Théophile Nael from Van Amersfoort Racing and third is Noel León from PREMA Racing. Mari, F3 race winner here in the Feature Race at Silverstone, here in very difficult conditions. Congratulations, how happy are you right now? Mari Boya: Thank you. I am super happy. Yesterday we had really good pace, so I was confident of racing on a dry track. I wanted to race on the slicks, but it wasn’t the case. The most important things was to be calm, read the situation as always, as fast as possible and once I saw that it started to rain a bit, I didn’t care what the rest were doing, I knew that the last sector was properly wet, and I said to my engineer if you believe in me let’s go. Happy that he believed in me at that point, was a difficult situation but we managed it really well. Super proud to be here, super happy and enjoying the moment.

FIA Formula 3: Where there any points through the race where you thought that maybe we would have to switch back to slicks? Boya: I was constantly speaking with him, to tell him what the situation was, and also, he was telling me when the rain was coming, and I was saving tyres because the rain is super long and especially if the track is drying these rain tyres don’t last long, so every lap we were in contact, reading the situation as best and as fast as possible. I think we managed both very well and super proud of him as well.

FIA Formula 3: You were driving at the front, can you tell us how the visibility was from the car and how difficult was it at the end?

Boya: At the beginning it was really nice. The grip and everything was really nice but once the Safety Car came it was impossible to see anything. We were super slow on the straights, and I didn’t have much control of the car. Even the Safety Car, who was much higher than us, he was struggling in some places to keep it under control. I knew I had to be calm and really precise in those moments. In the end, it was quite tricky but it’s nice to finish like this.

FIA Formula 3: It’s a double podium here in Silverstone, some really good points as well. What do you take from this round that will be useful for you going into the final three rounds of the season? Boya: I think we are starting to perform as we have deserved. Pace is looking really strong, we just did a hattrick of podiums, in Austria and two here in a row. Looking really good, and super excited for the rest of the season, I feel super prepared.

FIA formula 3: Thanks Mari, Théophile to you. P2 in today’s very hectic race at Silverstone in Formula 3. It’s a podium, it’s good points but it was hard earned. Can you tell us how the race went for you?

Théophile Nael: Yeah, it was quite tough, the decision on the grid was hard to make but we made a really good choice fitting the wet tyres. Then we had a really good start, the cars in front on slick tyres struggled a lot at the start. I managed to just stay calm and overtake them, was P2 after T5 and then it was just a management race. Managing the tyres, managing Noel behind, just pushed lap after lap. I had to find the marks, it was the first time in Silverstone for me, so I had a tough weekend. Now some really good points for the Championship, I am back in the top 10 so really happy, we have a few races to go still, three tracks that I know quite well so I am looking forward to it.

FIA Formula 3: Was the choice to go from slicks to wet tyres an easy one for you on the grid?

Nael: For me it was quite clear, when I saw sector three for me it was wet tyres as well, and then on the grid the rain started to be more. I said to my engineer, we have to have wet tyres, he trusted me and we did a good job on the tyre pressure as well so thanks to the team.

FIA Formula 3: How important was todays result as we know you were quite disappointed with yesterday's race. Nael: Yeah for sure, it didn’t go as planned. I think it is very encouraging for the last three races. Let’s see how it goes. I think I just have to stay calm, I am learning quite a lot this season. I can managed to stay calmer and let’s say managing everything for the three races.

FIA Formula 3: Thanks Theo. Noel León to you, P3 in today’s race, you were one of the drivers that selected the wet tyres on the starting grid, you must be quite happy with that strategy.

Noel León: Yeah super happy with P3 today in the Feature Race. Of course, it was a tough decision to make, when you see the other guys going in the other direction you think, am I doing right or not, but to be honest I was pretty clear in my decision because I have experience from last year. Sector three was really damp and as soon as I was that the rain was a little bit harder, I asked my engineer to put the wet tyres on and he trusted me. We had strong pace the beginning and then at the end we were struggling a bit more to catch Théo but in the end P3 and a lot of points in the bag.

FIA Formula 3: How difficult were the conditions out there before the Red Flag?

León: To be honest it was really difficult. Especially with two laps to go it started to rain pretty hard. We started to aquaplan a lot, we couldn’t see anything, so it was the right decision from the FIA director to stop the race because it was really dangerous. At the end of the day, we couldn’t finish the race but that was for safety.

FIA Formula 3: It’s been a tough 2025 season for you so far, it feels like there is something that is turning around from this round, do you feel confident that going into the final three rounds of the season that you will be fighting more at the front?

León: Yeah for sure, it’s been a tough season, at the beginning we were fighting for P20 now we are getting to the top 10 more and more. I am not very confident with the car but for sure this does give you a lot of confidence. So, I am looking forward to Spa and to Budapest which last year were great races for me.

FIA Formula 3: Well done, thank you