Brando Badoer opened his 2026 F3 campaign with a podium finish in the Sprint Race at the Australian GP. The Rodin Motorsport driver secured third place after a strong opening lap before the race ended early due to a red flag.
Van Amersfoort Racing drivers Bruno del Pino and Enzo Deligny claimed a dominant one-two finish at Albert Park. However, Badoer’s podium marked a positive start to his second season in F3 after switching teams during the winter.
During the post-race press conference, attended by Pit Debrief, Badoer reflected on the result, his decisive start, and the lessons he intends to carry into the remainder of the weekend.
Badoer enjoys strong start to the 2026 F3 season with P3 in Australian GP Sprint Race
Badoer began the Sprint Race from fourth on the grid and quickly moved into podium contention. His aggressive move into the opening corner allowed him to secure third place, which he maintained until the race ended prematurely.
Reflecting on his result, Badoer emphasised the work completed during the winter and the encouraging pace the team showed before the season began.
“Yeah, it was definitely a lot of hard work in the winter with Rodin Motorsport. The guys have been working really well, we were quick in Barcelona testing, and we kicked off Practice really, really well in Melbourne.
“Being P2 in Qualifying we were quite fast as well probably we didn’t maximise our full potential but it was cool to have the first podium straight away in the first race of the season starting from fourth the start was good and I jumped up to P3 and then stayed there up until the end of the race which came earlier than expected but the important thing is that after that big crash the guys are okay and that’s the most important.”
Aggressive move secures early podium position
Although the race lasted only a handful of laps, Badoer’s start proved decisive. He gained a position immediately and placed himself firmly inside the podium positions before the field settled. He explained how a strong launch and a visible opportunity into the first corner allowed him to make the move.
“Yeah, it was just a good start, I think we selected the correct clutch, and I saw a gap in T1 braking, so I went for it. I could have stayed there until the end of the race. I tried to keep up with the guys ahead, but of course, DRS not being available didn’t make it easy to get past, but it was fine like this. We will go again tomorrow from P9, we’ll have another shot from a bit back in the grid compared to today, but still a good shot if we have a good pace, we can score a good result.”
Despite the limited running, Badoer believes the race still provided useful information for the team ahead of the Feature Race.
“It was definitely a valuable experience for tomorrow for the team and me as well, also understanding which direction to move with the setup and what to expect from the Medium Pirelli tyres. So, it’s definitely a valuable experience, and it will be helpful to know what to expect tomorrow and how to be quick.”
Badoer discusses focus during the red flag interruption in F3 Sprint Race at 2026 Australian GP
The race ended early after a heavy collision between PREMA teammates James Wharton and Louis Sharp caused significant barrier damage. While the incident unfolded, drivers prepared for the possibility of a restart.
Badoer explained that his immediate concern focused on the safety of the drivers involved before turning his attention back to the race situation.
“Yeah I think in this kind of situation after seeing the car in the barriers you just hope the drivers are okay which they are luckily and then you as Bruno [del Pino] said you kind of try to stay in the bubble as focused as possible because you need to be on it if the race restarts so you kind of need to stay not disturbed and focus on a possible restart.”
Confidence after winter team switch
Badoer also discussed the impact of his winter move to Rodin Motorsport. After starting his second F3 season with a podium, he acknowledged that the result provides confidence but does not change his belief in his abilities.
“Yeah, I mean it helps in terms of confidence for sure but at the same time I’ve always been aware of my potential so it’s a good start and we are looking forward to keep this up in the next races.”
Championship focus remains long-term
Although the podium places Badoer among the early contenders in the standings, he emphasised the importance of consistency throughout the season rather than focusing solely on the championship battle at this early stage.
“Yeah, surely the championship is the ultimate goal and it’s what most of the drivers want to achieve but as Bruno said earlier you kind of need to be consistent every race, race-by-race so that’s the mentality I’m approaching this year and at the end of the year we’ll see where I will end up.”
With the Sprint Race complete, attention now turns to the Feature Race in Melbourne, where Badoer will aim to build on his promising start to the 2026 F3 season.
