British F4 champion McLaughlin moves to Formula 3

In 2026, British F4 champion Fionn McLaughlin will start racing in the Formula 3.

The Northern Irish teenager will support Formula 1 on 10 Grand Prix weekends thanks to the partnership with Hitech Racing.

In his first year of racing for the Red Bull Junior, McLaughlin won the British F4 title with just two races to go.

On his way to the title and the rookie championship, he won five victories.

McLaughlin’s Formula 3 campaign will start in Australia between March 6 and March, competing on weekends.

McLaughlin remarked, “This next step is a huge opportunity for me.”

“I’m ready for the challenge, but the competition will be difficult.” I’ve learned a lot this season, from managing the pressures of race weekends to adapting quickly to new circuits. I’m eager to keep pushing and proving myself.

McLaughlin will make a significant decision after just one season of single-seat racing, which will make him enter the world.

After impressing in a shootout in Spain in August 2024, the teenager made the decision to leave karting and enter motorsport.

He won the title by dominating British F4 after a strong performance in the Formula Winter Series, which has shown Red Bull, Hitech, and McLaughlin’s team that he is ready to skip a second season of domestic racing and make the transition to Formula 3.

“I’m incredibly proud of everything I’ve accomplished this year; it’s already been a whirlwind transition from single-seaters to karting, and working with Hitech is a dream come true,” McLaughlin said.

I want to thank everyone who has aided me along the way, particularly Hitech and the Red Bull Junior Team, for their confidence and success.

McLaughlin will be the second Irish driver to compete in a 2026 Formula One weekend.

Alex Dunne, who won the British F4 title in 2022, impressed for McLaren during earlier this year’s Formula 1 free practice sessions, and has been linked with a move to Red Bull ahead of the 2026 Formula 2 season.