PREVIEW: Spielberg set for Round 4 action

As the European season hots up, FIA Formula 3 heads to the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg for what is sure to be another incredible weekend of action.

Ahead of Round 4 getting underway, here’s all you need to know as we get ready to race in Austria.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Free Practice gets the weekend underway on Friday morning, with the green light set for 09:55 local time.

Qualifying follows later in the day, with the grid-setting session getting underway 15:00.

The first race of the weekend is the Sprint Race on Saturday. Lights out for that one is scheduled at 10:05 local.

Feature Race Sunday brings the weekend’s action to a close. The race is set to get going at 08:40.

Pirelli has brought the red-walled Soft compound tyre for this weekend’s event.

STAT PACK

• Théophile Nael retains his 100% Qualifying record going into Round 4, with a sweep of pole positions in 2026 so far

• Bruno del Pino is yet to finish lower than sixth in any race this season

• No driver has ever taken four consecutive pole positions in F3 history

• The Red Bull Ring is the shortest lap on the calendar laptime-wise

FROM THE GRID – Ugo Ugochukwu, Campos Racing

“It’s a pretty short track, but I think it's a good track. It’s fun to drive, Sector 2 and Sector 3 is pretty high-speed, so that was pretty fun on a qualifying lap.

“I would say the main thing racing-wise, it was probably one of the best of 2025. There’s always lots of overtakes and lots of battles, especially going up to T3 and T4. It depends on your strategy, but probably T3 is a really good place to overtake. But then obviously they'll have the DRS on you into T4, so you can get overtaken back again. So, you might be better off overtaking in T4, because then they can't really pass you back in the last part of the lap anymore.

“The toughest thing is probably trying to manage the DRS battle. Because three zones back-to-back is super strong.”

TECHNICAL PREVIEW

Pierre-Alain Michot, FIA Formula 3 Technical Director

“With the three DRS zones around the lap, there are plenty of overtaking opportunities for drivers. Slipstream and staying in the one-second window to the driver ahead is a crucial factor this weekend.

“Overall, the Red Bull Ring is a demanding track on tyres in the numerous traction zones that follow the heaviest braking phases around the lap.

“Top end speed is important, but the final sector is comparatively twisty, and track limits are never far away around the Red Bull Ring.”

PIRELLI PREVIEW

The compound that will be used over the Austria weekend is the Soft. The Red Bull Ring is a “stop & go” circuit characterised by a sequence of heavy braking and acceleration zones. Wear is mainly driven by thermal degradation, particularly on the rear axle, which is the most stressed due to the numerous traction phases. This year, rear tyre pressures will be increased by one psi and, as a result, drivers will need to manage tyre balance carefully, avoiding overheating and the consequent rise in wear. Those who succeed in doing this most effectively in the early stages of the race should be able to capitalise on an advantage in the closing laps before the chequered flag.