The Japanese driver Taito Kato was the fastest on the final day of the Formula 3 interseason testing, held on Thursday (the 21st) at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. The ART Grand Prix driver led the opening of the day’s two sessions on the Austrian track, setting a best lap of 1:20.297, the quickest time of the battery’s runs and including Wednesday’s activities.
Louis Sharp, driving for Prema, finished second, just 0.025 seconds shy of Kato’s benchmark. Noah Stromsted of Trident claimed the third-fastest time, ahead of Tuukka Taponen in fourth place for MP Motorsport. Rounding out the top five was Freddie Slater, also with Trident.
The Brazilian Pedro Clerot, piloting a Rodin Motorsport entry, ended the day in sixth position, followed by Hiyu Yamakoshhi in seventh with a Van Amersfoort car. Brando Badoer, Clerot’s teammate, was eighth, while Enzo Deligny, another Van Amersfoort racer, finished ninth. Maciej Gladysz of ART Grand Prix completed the top ten.
Another Brazilian in the lineup, Fernando Barrichello, ended the day 30th with an AIX Racing car. However, the driver posted the fifth-best time in the session that closed the interseason testing, a session led by his teammate Brad Benavides, with Clerot in 17th. The fastest times on Thursday came from the first session.
Following the interseason tests, Formula 3 returns to action from June 4 to 7, when the series travels to the temporary street circuit in Monte Carlo, Monaco, for the second round of the 2026 season.
