After a mixed 2024 FIA Formula 3 season with Trident, Mexico’s Santiago Ramos will spend a second year in F3, this time with Van Amersfoort Racing. With a year of F3 experience under his belt, Ramos will be the most experienced driver in the 2025 Van Amersfoort lineup. He will partner with 2023 F4 Spanish champion Théophile Naël and Ivan Domingues, who both step up to F3 from Formula Regional.
2025 F3 car similar to that used in 2025
Despite his experience in the series, however, Ramos, like everyone else competing in the series, has had to acquaint himself with a new car, with F3 running a new engine package and the Dallara F3 2025 chassis. While speaking at a media event attended by Pit Debrief, Ramos discussed his first impressions of the new car.
The Mexican driver explained that the majority of the 2025 F3 grid had been expecting the cars to be slower due to the use of significantly different tyres and rims, which would affect the car’s balance.
“Obviously, you know, especially with the difference of tyres and rims, we were expecting a big change of balance in the car. Also, you know, lap times and everything. I think from what everybody expected, they were going to be slower, these new cars, and apparently, they’re not.”
While he described the 2025 car as “really similar” to its predecessor, he identified some notable differences including improved high-speed cornering and more noticeable weight. He also noted that the new tyres seemed more sensitive to temperature.
“So yeah, I would say they are really, really similar to what we had last year, at least at least from my side. And yeah, I just think it’s a bit better.”
“In high-speed cornering, it’s a bit quicker. You can feel a bit more the weight, but like it doesn’t really affect much the lap time. So I think it’s good. Also, the tyre is a bit more sensitive to [temperature] than the old.”
“But yeah, in general, it’s quite similar to what we had before.”
Ramos hoping to use 2024 experience to his advantage
Despite the similarities between the old and new cars, Ramos believes that his previous experience in F3 will help his adaptation to the car, and subsequently, his performance in the 2025 F3 championship. He explained that understanding the format of the F3 championship and having experience around the tracks, especially those like Melbourne and Bahrain, were beneficial when fighting to maximise results.
“So for me, yeah, I think it’s important we can use that experience I had from last year, you know, I understand more or less how the format works in the championship, you know, the qualifying, the racing, also the degradation. I know like some tracks that you can only know them if you raced in F3 before, for example, Melbourne, Bahrain. You know, they are quite particular tracks.”
While he acknowledges the skills of the “really good” rookies coming into F3 in 2025 and the experience of other returning drivers, Ramos hopes to use his learnings from 2024 to his advantage, especially as he aims to “extract the most” from the car.
“So yeah, obviously, I’m trying to use that to my advantage and try to extract the most of it. But yeah, I think also there [are] really good rookies coming this year. There [are] also some drivers coming with experience from last year. But I think, yeah, we can try to use this extra time on track with the F3 to our advantage.”
Ramos has “nothing bad to say” about new team
In addition to the new car, Ramos has also had to adapt to a new team as he prepares for the 2025 F3 season. While speaking to the media, Ramos described the dynamics of his new team as “really good”.
“Yeah, so honestly, I think it’s really good.”
Ramos described Van Amersfoort Racing as a “really well-organised team” and commended them for their order and structure. This, combined with the “quite clear” relationship with his teammates, has proved positive for the Mexican driver who stated that he had no complaints about his new team.
“You know, since I joined Van Amersfoort, I just realised that it’s a really well-organised team. You know, everything has an order. They have, you know, mechanics for each car, engineers for each car. Also, you know, the team. So you’re reporting to your mechanic and then your mechanic reports to the engineer. And then so there’s like a really an order for everything.”
“So I think everything works really well because of that. Also with my teammates, you know, everything is like quite clear. We get along really well as well.”
“So yeah, I think it’s it’s so good at the moment. There’s nothing I can I can say bad about it.”
The Van Amersfoort driver added, “So yeah, I’m really looking forward [to] this season.”
Ramos “fought a lot” for 2025 F3 return
Ramos’ confidence in his team is a positive sign for the Mexican driver who acknowledges that he needs to maximise the “big opportunity” given to him. He explained that he aims to push himself to the limit, and capitalise on the opportunity that he had “fought a lot” to get.
“Yeah, so yeah, definitely second year in F3. I’m really, really trying to push myself [to] the limit in every aspect I can, because I know it’s a big opportunity. I fought a lot to get this opportunity this year. So I know I have to make it work.”
However, Ramos is confident that he can use both his experience and the expertise of those at Van Amersfoort to have a “great year.” This, he understands, will be necessary to fight for a chance to step up to F2 in 2026, and eventually compete to enter F1.
“And I’m sure with the expertise and knowledge from everyone at Van Amersfoort, also with the year of experience I already had last year, I’m sure it’s going to be a great year. And yeah, hopefully, we can get to F2 next year and then sooner than later in F1.”
