Benavides targeting more high points in 2026 after bursts of potential in F3

Brad Benavides is one driver on the 2026 who will be aiming to continue to repeat the high points of his previous Formula 3 campaign.

The AIX Racing driver achieved two pole positions in 2025 in Spa and Monza and was fighting for points in the opening round this season in Melbourne.

It was a positive start to the new campaign, and the American driver was enthusiastic to be racing once again after a long winter break.

“It was a quiet winter. But, you know, my life is racing. So everything that doesn't have to do with racing, it just seems like I'm just waiting. So I'm extremely grateful to be racing again.

“I’d say that in the aftermath of the opening round, I’m content with P7 but at the same time, it wasn’t the greatest of starts. Qualifying didn’t go as I’d hoped and that put me in a more difficult position for the rest of the weekend.

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“Thankfully on Sunday, I was able to make up quite a lot of positions and prove that the race pace can be there.”

Benavides is back with AIX in 2026, a team he formed a great partnership with, especially lats season.

The team hit their stride in the second half of the campaign after fits and bursts of form throughout 2025. He has high hopes for that to become more consistent this year as the team maximises their strengths and continue to improve their weaker areas.

“Experience is extremely useful, obviously, because then I have references and I know what it's all going to be like. And from there, it's just about delivering more.

“I think there were good moments last year like in Spa and Monza that definitely proved people wrong. And it showed that if you're capable to beat the best, then you will be the best. Obviously, I'm not there yet, but there were glimpses of that success.

“Carrying that through into this year is the main target, to one-up it. That’s the target in 2026.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of the campaign, Benavides says that he is hoping to continue from his strong finish in Melbourne and carry momentum into the remainder of the campaign.

“The most important thing is to focus on the next round and capitalise on tracks that I already know.

“I’ll be trying to put together a good qualifying performance, as I did last year, and just continue looking forward with optimism, knowing that I can do it because I’ve done it before.”

He added that there was one round he was looking forward to in particular, with redemption around Spa-Francorchamps at the top of his list for more than the obvious reason.

“I’m very much looking forward to Spa again this year. I think it’s a shame we didn’t get a race there last year.

“Coincidentally, we’ve mainly been doing simulator prep now in a place called Vertex, which is literally next to Eau Rouge.

“So, just the fact that now some of our prep is being done there, I think builds a nice... I guess it's like a mini-home race, isn't it? I It’ll be cool once we get there.

“Hopefully we can have another weekend like we did last year and be able to race and show what we can do.”