Benavides keen to fight at the front as he returns with ‘family’ AIX for the 2026 season

5 November 2025

Brad Benavides is happy to be back for another Formula 3 season with AIX Racing, and he is hopeful that as a team they can fight for those wins and podiums in 2026.

The American driver returned to the grid at the third round of the 2025 campaign in Imola, and had impressive moments – such as taking two Pole Positions in Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.

Benavides also qualified on the front row in Spielberg, but was unable to convert any of these strong starting positions into podiums.

Speaking in the Imola pitlane though on the final day of post-season testing, Benavides shared why he was delighted to be back with AIX, reflected on those moments, and why they are fuelling their off-season program.

“Very happy to continue the work from last year with AIX, so excited,” said Benavides. “We definitely ended the season on a high, as in the last five rounds we had three front row starts. So it’s good Qualifying form, and we want to follow that through into the start of next year.

“We were a bit unlucky, as in Austria it wasn't necessary a lack of race pace necessarily, as I was on older tyres, and my competitors were on new tyres, as I used three tyres in quali. I also had some issues which made me lose a couple of places.

Benavides says he and AIX worked hard in the post-season tests to try to improve their ace pace

“Spa was cancelled, and the opportunity I couldn’t capitalise on was Monza, which was a draft-focused race.

“But we are working in testing on improving the race pace, because if there is something that we could unpack from last year, that was our greatest weakness. But obviously looking to carry our Qualifying form.”

The atmosphere in the AIX garage has been a positive one for Benavides, as not only does he knows all the team personnel, but he has previously raced alongside his new teammates Yevan David and Fernando Barrichello in another Championship.

For Benavides, this is a good thing, as while he is here to be competitive, doing it with people you enjoy working with, is a big factor in his excitement for 2026.

“Mainly, the job is to also enjoy,” he said. “Working with those guys is definitely a key part in all of that, that you can work well with your teammates and that there is a good environment with the team.

Benavides is happy with the atmosphere at AIX as he now knows many of the team personnel

“Since it's the second year as well, I know the mechanics, the Team Manager and the engineers very well, so it's like a family now.”

But Benavides is not only here to enjoy himself, as he has made clear how much he wants to be at the front of the field, battling for wins and podiums.

“For sure, within my nature I am highly competitive,” said Benavides. “But across my career, I have not been lucky or blessed to be able aim for podiums and race wins.

“But drawing from last year, the potential was on the table and I could only hope to be able to finally achieve those podiums and wins, it's a dream of mine.

“It's completely embedded within my competitive nature, so if I could say what my goals are, and define them, it's to do better than I ever have.”