Back in action after almost three months without races, Formula 3 visits the street circuit in Monte Carlo, Monaco, this weekend. And after the first free practice, Friday (5) will be reserved for qualifying, which will determine the starting positions for the two races of the second round of the 2026 season, with a different qualifying format.
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As in Formula 2, Formula 3 qualifying will feature drivers divided into two groups, each with 15 drivers. This measure is taken to reduce traffic during the session throughout qualifying. Each group will have 16 minutes of clear track, with the first batch of drivers having competitors with even car numbers, and the second, odd.
After the two groups are completed, the fastest driver will start from pole position, with the fastest competitor from the other group starting from second position. This will also define the starting positions for the other competitors. Those in the pole group will start from odd-numbered places, while the rest will occupy even-numbered positions.
If in Formula 2 the Sprint grid inversion takes into account the ten fastest, in Formula 3 the position swap considers the top 12. Thus, in Monaco, first place on the short race grid will be given to the sixth fastest from the group that lost Sunday’s pole position, with the inversion starting from this position until reaching the overall fastest, who starts in 12th.
Qualifying, which will define the starting positions for the two Formula 3 races in Monaco, is scheduled for 6:05 AM this Friday.
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Check out how the driver groups for Formula 3 qualifying in Monaco were formed:
Group 1
Ugo Ugochukwu (USA/Campos Racing)
Noah Stromsted (NOR/Trident)
Matteo De Palo (ITA/Trident)
Tuukka Taponen (FIN/MP Motorsport)
Taiyto Kato (JPN/ART Grand Prix)
Kanato Le (JPN/ART Grand Prix)
Hyiu Yamakoshi (JPN/Van Amersfoort)
Bruno del Pino (ESP/Van Amersfoort)
Brando Badoer (ITA/Rodin)
Louis Sharp (AUS/Prema)
José Garfias (MEX/Prema)
Fionn McLaughlin (IRL/Hitech)
Brad Benavides (AIX Racing)
Fernando Barrichello (BRA/AIX Racing)
Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi (THA/DAMS)
Group 2
Theóphile Nael (FRA/Campos Racing)
Ernesto Rivera (MEX/Campos Racing)
Freddie Slater (GBR/Trident)
Mattia Colnaghi (ARG/MP Motorsport)
Alessandro Giusti (FRA/MP Motorsport)
Maciej Gladysz (POL/ART Grand Prix)
Enzo Deligny (FRA/Van Amersfoort)
Pedro Clerot (BRA/Rodin)
Christian Ho (SGP/Rodin)
James Wharton (AUS/Prema)
Woohyun Shin (KOR/Hitech)
Jin Nakamura (JPN/Hitech)
Yevan David (SRI/AIX Racing)
Nicola Lacorte (ITA/DAMS)
Gerrard Xie (CHN/DAMS)
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