Rafael Camara is officially the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Champion. The 20-year-old Brazilian sealed the title in style today, winning the Feature Race at the Hungaroring—his fourth victory of the season—with one round still remaining on the calendar. In a rain-hit thriller, Camara led from lights to flag, showcasing masterful control in treacherous conditions. His Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy teammate, Tuukka Taponen, also made the podium in third place after a gritty performance.
With a total of 156 points, Camara’s lead is now mathematically unassailable ahead of the season finale in Monza.
“A Long Journey, But Worth Every Step”
“I’m very happy—it’s been a very long season,” said a visibly emotional Camara after the race. “This weekend was anything but easy, but we managed to win the title. I left Brazil to follow my dream, and today shows it was worth it.”
Camara also reflected on the sacrifices made to reach this point. “It takes time to become a racing driver. You grow through the tough moments, and today it all paid off. I want to thank the Trident team and everyone at the Academy in Maranello. This result is for them too.”
Despite the championship being wrapped up, Camara is far from done. “I’ll enjoy the summer break, but I’m fully focused on Monza—I want to finish strong.”
Remarkably, this is Camara’s first season in Formula 3—coming just a year after he won the Formula Regional European Championship. His campaign began with a win in Melbourne and continued with victories in Bahrain, Spain, and now Hungary. From nine rounds so far, he’s secured four race wins and five pole positions, displaying pace and maturity beyond his years.
His title makes him just the second Brazilian to win the F3 championship since its reintroduction in 2019, following Gabriel Bortoleto. He’s also the second SFDA driver to take the crown, after Robert Shwartzman’s inaugural triumph.
Hungary Highlights: From Qualifying Brilliance to Race-Day Execution
Camara’s title bid was set in motion with a bold strategy in qualifying. After encountering traffic on his out-lap, he made a surprise call to dive into the pit lane and reset—much to the shock of his Trident crew. The gamble paid off, as he delivered a stunning lap in the final minutes to secure his fifth pole of the season.
Teammate Taponen also impressed, bouncing back from recent struggles to qualify P3—a confidence-boosting result after a tough weekend at Spa.
Sprint Race Recap: Steady Progress
In Saturday’s Sprint Race, Camara and Taponen started from P12 and P10 due to the reverse grid format. After a quiet first half behind the Safety Car, the pair picked up places in the second stint. Camara climbed to eighth, scoring valuable points, while Taponen finished just outside the top ten in 11th.
Feature Race: Masterclass in the Wet
Sunday’s Feature Race began behind a rolling start with all cars on full wets following earlier rainfall. Camara nailed the launch, immediately opening up a gap over Mari Boya. A mid-race Safety Car bunched the field, but Camara remained unfazed. On the restart, he maintained his lead and expertly managed tyre degradation to cross the line two seconds clear, untouched by the chaos behind.
Taponen, meanwhile, had to dig deep. Battling throughout the race in changing grip levels, the 18-year-old Finn showed real grit to hold on to third place, earning his first podium of the season. The result moves him up to eighth in the standings with 67 points, underlining the growing strength of the Ferrari Academy’s next generation.
Looking Ahead
With the championship wrapped up, all eyes now turn to Monza, where Camara will race with freedom—and perhaps added fire. Whether or not he adds another win to his tally, his 2025 season is already one for the history books.