Bridging the gap: MP Motorsport Season Preview

A top three finish in the Teams’ Standings last time out was a positive result for MP Motorsport, and breaking into the top two will be the target this time around.

The Dutch squad achieved one win, and five other podium results last year and missed out on points on just three occasions in 2025.

That consistency is a good bedrock from which to build heading into the new season, and they have an exciting driver combination to help them get there.

Eyes on the top prize

Last season, MP equalled their highest finish in the FIA Formula 3 Standings with P3 overall, falling just short of its highest points total, accumulating 177 points versus the 194 from 2023.

Still, it was a positive campaign, and the Dutch squad is in a good position to capitalise on their success from last season.

The one victory will be a point to improve, as the team contended at various races in 2025 but came away with just the solitary top step finish. Still, the level of competitiveness was a strong point for them to take into the new campaign.

Ensuring results in Qualifying don’t leave them with too big a task to overcome on Saturday and Sunday will go a long way in helping them achieve that.

Top 12 starts are always crucial in F3, but ensuring they have drivers in the top six places on the grid would open up the possibility of more wins, something that the team feels is more than realistic.

Helping them along the way will be an exciting line up of drivers, with Alessandro Giusti returning to MP alongside new arrival Tuukka Taponen, and rookie Mattia Colnaghi.

All three drivers are F1-linked, with Giusti backed by Williams, Taponen Ferrari and Colnaghi a Red Bull Junior Team member, so what can we expect from them?

Driving potential

Giusti and Taponen have a year’s worth of experience under their belts following their rookie seasons in 2025.

For the former, he raced with MP and so is already familiar with the team and personnel he’s working with once again this year. The Frenchman secured two podiums across the campaign, securing P3 in the Barcelona Feature Race and second in the Spielberg Sprint.

He will be looking to kick on in what will be his second season with the team, fully knowing what to expect and MP will also know what he will need to get the best from himself.

Taponen enjoyed a promising start to life in F3 last year, but a tough middle stint in 2025 hid what he was capable of across the whole season. In a new team, the Finn will be aiming to show he can also produce an improved effort, securing more podiums and improving from P9 in the Standings last year.

Joining them at MP is Colnaghi, who is no stranger to the Dutch squad having raced for them across various series since his single-seater debut back in 2024. He claimed the Spanish F4 crown with them that year, and followed that up with winning Eurocup-3 in 2025, rounding out the year by just missing out on a podium in P4 at Macau.

The ingredients are all there for a successful campaign, and one MP hopes will put them in contention to earn their first ever FIA F3 Teams’ title.