The young man from Leiria, the first Portuguese driver in the FIA Formula 3 world championship in 12 years, finished the official tests in Barcelona with a “positive assessment of his adaptation to the car and the demands of one of the most competitive single-seater categories”.
Despite two days marked by “technical problems, normal in a new car, the evolution continues”. The World Championship begins at the Australian Grand Prix, between March 14th and 16th. “We remain focused on the essential, which is to continue growing and make the most of this debut season in Formula 3”
Ivan Domingues, an 18-year-old Portuguese driver who signed a contract with the prestigious Dutch team, Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR), to debut and fully compete in the 2025 season of the FIA Formula 3 Championship, finished three days of official testing in Barcelona last Friday, with a “positive assessment of his adaptation to the car and the demands of one of the most competitive single-seater categories”. The young man from Leiria completed, despite persistent hydraulic problems, a “good process of getting to know the single-seater that debuts in the 2025 season”.
This Friday, a day marked by rain and constant changes in track conditions, Ivan Domingues completed a total of 68 laps in the morning and afternoon sessions, in a car that, like on Thursday, showed some limitations. “We continued to have hydraulic issues and were running roughly in the middle of the timesheets; on Wednesday, we also had issues with the DRS. These are normal situations, especially in new cars that are being pushed to the limit for the first time, but they do not distract us from the essential, which is to complete the adaptation process and seek to learn from all the situations we are subjected to. We will now continue to give our best off the track, whether around the car or in individual preparation, preparing for the start in Melbourne. It is this spirit of permanent learning that takes us to Australia, in March, to continue evolving in this debut season in Formula 3”, says Ivan Domingues.
The official season kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix (14-16 March). The VAR driver will be the first Portuguese to fully compete in the Formula 3 World Championship, 12 years after António Félix da Costa, in what is one of the main stages of access to Formula 1. The FIA Formula 3 World Championship, which accompanies the Formula 1 ‘circus’ in a total of ten Grands Prix, then continues in Bahrain – Sakhir, Italy – Imola, Monaco – Monte Carlo, Spain – Barcelona, Austria – Splielberg, Great Britain – Silverstone, Belgium – Spa Francorchamps, Hungary – Budapest, and Italy – Monza. Each weekend offers two races, with the particularity that the first (Sprint Race) starts with the top 12 on the starting grid in inverted positions.
About Ivan Domingues
Ivan Domingues (Leiria, 5/5/2006) started karting, inspired by his father and brother, when he was just 8 years old. At the age of 9, he participated in the first Portuguese championship. He won the Brazilian Kart Cup and was National Vice-Champion in 2017, 2018 and 2019. At the age of 14, he moved to Italy to professionalize his training and make the leap to Formula 4. Last season, in 2024, already in FRECA (Formula Regional Europe by Alpine), he stood out as one of the best rookies (two podiums and a best rookie in 3 races). In 2025, he leapt the FIA Formula 3 Championship, one of the main antechambers to Formula 1, completing the full season at the service of the prestigious Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR). Its references are Ayrton Senna and Max Verstappen. Besides cars, he is passionate about sports and animals.
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