PREVIEW: Round 9 in Madrid brings it all to a close

It is the final race weekend of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 season, and the paddock is heading to Madrid for what should to be an epic title showdown.

Freddie Slater and Ugo Ugochukwu look set to go head-to-head to be crowned Drivers’ Champion, while Campos Racing are on the brink of winning the Teams’ Title, but can TRIDENT stop them?

So as we get ready to hit the track in Madrid, here is everything you need to know…

WHAT TO EXPECT

Round 9 kicks off with Free Practice on Friday morning with the green light set for 09:55 local time.

There will be a slight twist to the weekend format in Madrid, as we will have two Feature Races, which means we have two Qualifying sessions.

The first of which is set to start at 18:25 local time. After those first 20 minutes of action, the drivers will hit the track for the second Qualifying session at 18:55 local time.

The top 12 from Qualifying 1 will be reversed for Saturday morning’s Sprint Race at 11:05 local time. That session will also set the grid for the first Feature Race at 18:00 later that day.

Qualifying 2 will set the order for second and final Feature Race of the weekend, with lights out scheduled for 09:45 local time on Sunday morning.

Niccolò Maccagnani is set to replace Christian Ho at Rodin Motorsport for the final round of the season.

AIX Racing have confirmed that Car 26 has been withdrawn from the event as Ricardo Escotto cannot take part under medical grounds.

DAMS Lucas Oil have also withdrawn Car 31 from the race weekend.

STAT PACK

• The Madring is made up of 22 corners and is 5.414km long.

• The drivers got their first taste of the circuit at a two-day test last month where Campos Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu set the fastest time of a 1:49.034.

• Ugochukwu led both morning sessions during last month’s test, while Slater topped the timesheets in the afternoon runs.

• Slater and Ugochukwu head into the finale separated by 15 points, with Ernesto Rivera and Théophile Nael still retaining an outside chance of claiming the title.

• With Nicola Lacorte’s victory at Monza, 13 different drivers have now won a race in 2026 — a new record for the most winners in a single Formula 3 season.

FROM THE GRID – Bruno del Pino, Van Amersfoort Racing

“It’s very fast, really fast. But it’s also tight, it feels like Jeddah in a way. But it’s a home race so that’s exciting.

“There are not many places to overtake, because the run to T1 is not a very long, but there's a very long straight afterwards. So maybe there.

“I’d say the most difficult part will be making use of the high-speed sections and getting close to the walls, but everything else will be quite quick and easy to adapt.

“It's my home race. I have two home race weekends. So, Barcelona, because I was born there, and Madrid because I'm half from Madrid, and I live in Madrid. It is exciting.”

TECHNICAL PREVIEW

Pierre-Alain Michot, FIA Formula 3 Technical Director

“While it is a new track on the calendar the Madring is known to the drivers and the teams as they had two days of in-season testing here last month.

“It is a high-speed street track with many changes of directions, which means the teams will put a huge emphasis on downforce, making sure their cars are aerodynamically balanced in both Qualifying and the races.

“Tyres will also be a point of focus, with temperatures expected to be high, and with nature of the layout, those who take care of their Pirelli rubber will benefit the most.”

PIRELLI PREVIEW

The Hard compound has been selected for the Formula 3 weekend at Madring. Drivers have already had a first taste of the new circuit in the Spanish capital during the two-day test held at the end of August. Tyre degradation is expected to remain limited and, should temperatures be relatively low, aided by the circuit's altitude, graining could become a factor. Qualifying could prove to be one of the most decisive and demanding sessions of the weekend, given the limited overtaking opportunities offered by the circuit. Furthermore, as this is a new track on which drivers still have limited experience, the likelihood of safety car interventions and red flags remains high.