Red Bull F1 hopeful earns 2026 promotion

The Formula 1 team's driver academy is stacked with talent

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 1 October 2025 20:57

Red Bull junior driver and Formula 1 hopeful Ernesto Rivera has earned a promotion to FIA Formula 3, an official statement has confirmed.

Red Bull's junior driver academy has bred some incredible talent throughout the years, with 40% of the current grid having driven for their junior team in the sport at some stage.

Rivera will someday hope to add his name to that list, but for now, he must prove his credentials at F3 level with Campos Racing.

Red Bull junior promoted to F3

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Rivera has been racing for Campos in Eurocup-3 in 2025, where he has claimed three wins and sits third in the championship.

Before his Eurocup campaign, the 16-year-old made his debut in single-seaters with the team in the Formula Winter Series, completing a Spanish F4 season in which he took one victory. This was followed by a sting in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship.

"We are delighted to confirm that Ernesto Rivera will continue with us in 2026, stepping up for another exciting season in the FIA F3!" an official team update read.

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Rivera 'excited'

Speaking as part of the announcement that confirmed the news, Rivera said: "I’m really excited to continue my journey with Campos Racing and the Red Bull Junior Team for the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship season.

"This is a huge step forward in my career and I’m very grateful for the trust and support from both Campos Racing and Red Bull.

"We’ve built a really strong foundation together this season, and I can’t wait to keep learning, growing, and fighting for big results next year. I’ll give everything, both on and off the track, to make the most of this opportunity."

Elsewhere, Adrian Campos, team principal of Campos Racing, added: "We are delighted to continue working with a driver of Ernesto’s talent.

"From our very first season together, he showed a remarkable ability to learn and improve, something that has already been evident at European level in 2025.

"Ernesto is still very young, yet he stands out for his maturity, consistency, and race management.

"FIA Formula 3 is a highly competitive championship, but with the joint effort of everyone involved, I am convinced that his rookie season will be at least as successful as the ones before it."

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Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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