Badoer says Rodin on the right track after maiden podium in Melbourne

Brando Badoer says the potential for him and Rodin Motorsport is quite high moving forward into the rest of the season after a positive opening round in Melbourne.

The Italian had a strong weekend in Australia, finishing second in Free Practice before qualifying ninth fastest.

Badoer used that strong starting position in the reverse grid Sprint Race to end up third, giving him his maiden Formula 3 podium. Unfortunately, a spin in the Feature when he was battling for P5 dropped him down the order and outside the points.

But reflecting on the weekend, Badoer says his and Rodin’s performance was not a shock given how well things went at the Barcelona pre-season test.

“I'm happy about the race weekend in Melbourne,” said Badoer. “We were very quick from FP, we started off in P2, then we had a solid quali, and of course the podium in the Sprint. The Feature Race could have gone better but the potential was really high.

“To be honest I expected to be quick because we were quick in Barcelona, so in Melbourne I expected to be competitive. So I was happy that it became a fact when we got there.

“I'm also happy about the competitive pace we had throughout the week and that is a good sign for the next rounds.

“But we need to keep working and keep pushing to be at the front, as the competition is really strong. So it’s definitely a start in the right step and I am looking forward to working hard to use that potential over the next few rounds.”

Melbourne kicked off a fine start to Badoer’s second season in F3, as he looks to build on a rookie campaign where all three of his points scoring results came in the final five races.

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The 19-year-old acknowledges that 2025 was tough, but a podium in the first event of the year is a positive way to kickstart 2026.

“Last season overall was tough for reasons I couldn't control,” said Badoer. “But it ended on a high because in the last races we were definitely competitive.

“To kick off the 2026 season on the podium is definitely very positive and I'm looking forward to continuing to work hard, so that we can continue fighting at the front in each of the remaining rounds.”

The weekend was not without its negatives with Badoer reflecting on the tiny mistake that cost him a potential place on the podium in the Feature Race.

While battling for fifth with Nicola Lacorte he spun at the final corner, and while he was able to continue on, he dropped down the order and finished 16th.

“It was a tiny mistake, a really tiny mistake that cost a lot,” he explained. “So of course after the 360 it hurt the tyres and it was definitely not easy to get back into the race’s rhythm.

“But it's something that happens when you're really pushing hard to keep up and at the end it was a millimetre mistake that as I said cost a lot.

“At the end of the day I didn't end up in the wall, the save was quite good but for sure there are some bits to learn as always and we'll keep it in mind for the future.

“As we know it's really important to maximise everything in F3, so definitely one of the points I have in mind for the next races as the pace is good.”

Badoer also praised Rodin for giving him a car competitive enough to fight at the front. He also complimented the atmosphere within the team, saying he already feels like a part of the family.

“It's really been a positive experience so far,” he said on working with Rodin. “The team and I are like a family, and we've been working really hard during the winter.

“I really feel at home in Rodin and we are all pushing in the same direction, working a lot behind the scenes as well because we all want the same thing and I think we will have a good run.”

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Looking ahead though, Badoer says he and Rodin have to maximise their performances with points, when the races come thick and fast in the European summer.

“It's important to do the best and maximise every lap on those European circuits,” he added. “At the end of the day you have a couple of months where there are a lot of races, so you really need to be in the bubble in that period and make every lap count.

“It's what I'm looking for, because I definitely want to use the valuable experience from last year to be ready to fight.”