It was hardly the start Ernesto Rivera would have been hoping for in the 2026 season, but seventh in his rookie FIA Formula 3 campaign capped off a genuinely positive year for the Mexican driver. Driving for Campos Racing, he helped the Spanish outfit secure a second consecutive Teams' Championship while fighting for a top three finish in the Drivers' Standings. A difficult final round in Madrid proved costly, but that hardly detracts from what was a very impressive debut in the Championship.
His season started on the worst note possible as injury ahead of pre-season testing left him facing an uphill struggle and behind his rivals in terms of preparation. Reflecting on the early months, Rivera explained the mental and physical toll. "I was having a tough campaign in New Zealand, in the Formula Regional Oceania, and yeah honestly I just wanted to get back to Europe and start with the test in F3 and with Campos," he said. Having suffered the injury in the last race of the championship in New Zealand, he headed back to Mexico where the first week consisted only of walking and watching testing times from afar.
I thought I could do good, not as good as I've done honestly. I didn't have such high expectations, but yeah I think I made a lot of progress,
"After that I just said to myself there's nothing you can do, just try to treat the recovery as positively as possible and let's see if you can come back to Melbourne," Rivera explained. Ultimately, he could not race in Melbourne as he was not yet going to the gym and still experiencing a lot of pain. He dropped six kilos due to muscle loss, making his preparation for Monaco an immense challenge. Yet, once he finally climbed into the F3 machine, he delivered instantly. P5 on his Feature Race debut around the streets of Monte Carlo underlined his potential, and the season only grew from there.
Three races later, he stood on the top step of an F3 podium for the first time as victor of the Spielberg Sprint Race. "I thought I could do good, not as good as I've done honestly. I didn't have such high expectations, but yeah I think I made a lot of progress," Rivera noted. After that maiden Sprint win, the next target was a Feature Race victory, which arrived at his favourite track on the calendar, Spa. Calling it his highlight, he praised the great car, tyre management, and overall weekend execution that allowed him to gain points and climb the standings.
Ultimately, the biggest takeaway from a campaign filled with setbacks and peaks is self-belief. "I've got to trust myself more. Sometimes last year I wasn't so confident in myself and this year that I know that I can do it," Rivera shared. That growing confidence, alongside his raw speed and mastery under pressure, leaves him with plenty of lessons to carry forward into the rest of his career.
