PREMA Racing aiming to continue Formula 3 domination with all-new 2025 lineup

11 January 2025

PREMA Racing’s Formula 3 record tells its own story, as with 37 wins, 98 podiums, three Drivers’ Championships and five Teams’ titles in six seasons, the Italian outfit have set the standard in the third tier.

As with every campaign, Rene Rosin’s squad start the year aiming to add to those records but the introduction of a new Dallara built F3 car in 2025 means there is a new obstacle in their way.

PREMA, like their nine rivals, will have to adapt to the new machinery being handed to them, and they will want to do it quickly if they are to fight for both Championships.

To help with that, the Venetian team have brought a talented lineup to the grid of Noel León, Ugo Ugochukwu, and Brando Badoer, but what can we expect from their trio of drivers?

Leon is the more experienced of the three as he prepares for his second season in the Championship after an impressive rookie year.

Leon moves over to PREMA for the 2025 season after a strong rookie year

His four podiums helped him finish 10th in the Drivers' Standings making him the second highest returning driver from the 2024 season, behind MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz.

After a slow start in Sakhir and Melbourne, a return to Europe brought immediate success as the Mexican finished P1 at the Imola Sprint Race before a post-race penalty dropped him to third.

Several point-scoring results followed in the next few rounds before he returned to the podium at the Silverstone, Budapest, and Spa weekends.

That first F3 victory eluded him last year but he will no doubt be eyeing a trip to the top step this season and he has already stated that his goal is to win the title in 2025.

Joining a Championship-winning outfit could certainly help him do that and if he can build on the promise he showed in his rookie season, León will be in an advantageous position to contend this year.

León might be the most experienced F3 driver but Ugochukwu’s three years racing for PREMA means he steps up in a very familiar environment.

The 17-year-old graduated up to single seater racing in 2022 and has raced for PREMA in each season since, enjoying plenty of success together.

Ugochukwu steps up with PREMA having raced for them each year since 2022

In 2023, he won the Euro 4 Championship, thanks to his five podiums which included three wins. That same year, he also finished second in the Italian F4 and third in the Formula 4 UAE Championships, all in PREMA colours.

He continued on with the team in 2024 in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, and while he could not replicate his previous title winning success, a Pole Position and victory at the final round saw him end the year in fine form.

Ugochukwu carried that momentum into a good six days of post-season testing in Jerez and Barcelona last year before going on to win the Macau Grand Prix.

He will no doubt be looking to continue on those high notes into the new season and if he can, the McLaren Development Driver Programme member will certainly be one to keep an eye on.

Badoer is another member of McLaren’s stable of young drivers that will be driving for PREMA this year, the Italian making the step up after a promising 2024 campaign.

The 18-year-old has shown steady progress throughout his previous three seasons in single seater racing, achieving nine podiums across the 2023 editions of Formula 4 UAE, Italian F4 and Euro 4 Championships.

Badoer has enjoyed a strong single seater career and now steps up to F3 with PREMA

He finished sixth in all three categories before ending up fifth in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with seven podiums – tied for the third most of any driver.

Badoer, like León and Ugochukwu, took part in both post-season tests at the end of last year and showed improvement across the six days of running.

If he can continue that upward trend, it would go a long way to helping him and PREMA reach their 2025 goals.

Given their success in Formula 3, PREMA will undoubtedly be confident of fighting towards the front of the field in 2025, but like the rest of the teams they will have a new car to adapt to at pre-season testing in Barcelona.

Those three days of testing will be crucial but given their previous success and the level of their drivers, PREMA will be confident that they can challenge for both Championships this year.