After winning the 2024 GB3 Championship with Rodin Motorsport, Louis Sharp joins the team’s F3 line-up for the 2025 season. He will partner with F3 race-winner Callum Voisin and fellow rookie, Roman Bilinski.
Sharp confident ahead of F3 debut season
While speaking to the media, including Pit Debrief, Sharp discussed how his success in F4 and in last year’s GB3 championship has helped his transition to F3. Sharp believes that continuing with Rodin Motorsport, the team with which he has raced since 2022 under their previous names Carlin and Rodin Carlin, has made the process easier.
“I think it definitely makes the whole transitioning process a lot easier. It’s the team I’ve been with my whole senior career, basically. The whole time I’ve been in the UK I’ve been with this team.”
He explained that his success with the team had improved his confidence for the 2025 F3 season, and described Rodin Motorsport as “a good place to be” due to his good relationship with team members.
“So no, it fills me with good confidence knowing that I’ve had good success with the team in the past.”
“And obviously when I’m in the factory, when I’m working with all the engineers and all the team members, it’s all familiar faces that I’ve spent the last couple of years with. So no, it’s definitely a good place to be.”
Sharp added that he did not think there was any reason for him to be unable to achieve similar success in the 2025 F3 season, despite being a rookie.
“Like I said, we’ve been really strong with them in the past and there’s no reason why this year and F3 can’t be the same.”
Sharp excited “to have a go” at F3 circuits
The New Zealander also discussed his experience during pre-season testing, and how he and his team had been preparing for the upcoming 2025 FIA Formula 3 championship. Despite his lack of familiarity with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Sharp enjoyed strong performances during pre-season testing, finishing third in both the morning and afternoon sessions on the final day. He attributed this both to the work done at Rodin Motorsport over the winter break.
“Obviously, none of us know the circuit, but no, the team have done a really good job over the winter. They’ve worked really hard at testing back in the factory to prepare well, so I think I’m looking forward to kind of seeing where we shape up.”
Sharp identified the tracks that he was looking forward to competing on. He identified Monaco as an example, noting that while the racing was “not great,” a qualifying lap would be “pretty special.”
“But I also think, actually, similar to Monaco, for me, first time there, it’s going to be pretty cool. See, the racing around Monaco is not great, but I think a qualifying lap there is going to be pretty special.”
Sharp added that he was also excited to race at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, as he had some more experience there.
“But for me, it’s also tracks like maybe Silverstone or Spa, these tracks I’ve probably got a little bit more experience on compared to the others. For me, I’m really excited to have a go at these kinds of circuits.”
Race of Champions beneficial for Sharp’s F3 preparation
Before Sharp makes his F3 debut, however, he will participate in the 2025 Race of Champions at Stadium Australia in Sydney. At only 17 years old, Sharp will be the youngest driver to compete.
While he acknowledges that it will be “tough” to compete against older and more experienced drivers, including the likes of 10-time F1 Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas and four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, Sharp believes that the experience will be beneficial to his preparation for the 2025 F3 season.
“The Race of Champions is something completely different to anything I’ve ever done before. It’s obviously driving five different cars, which is very different to a Formula 3 single-seater.”
“I think I’m definitely going to learn some skills that I can bring into the F3 season and bring into Melbourne. But to be honest, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a crazy new experience.”
“I’m definitely being the youngest to ever do it. So it’s going to be tough going up against some very big names. But, no, for sure there’s going to be learnings to have, which I can then take forward into this year and into the future as well.”
