8 GB3 and FREC drivers to watch this season

GB3 & Formula Regional European Championship, better known as ‘FREC’, return to competitive action this weekend. With names like Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli & Gabriel Bortoleto now prominent in F1 as FREC graduates, and GB3 alumni blazing trails all over the racing world, it’s time to look at who the next stars may be.

Alexandre Munoz: FREC, ART Grand Prix

A champion in any series is worth watching, but when they manage the feat at just 16 years old you’d better sit up and take notice.

Stepping up as French F4 champion after his first full season in the series, Alexandre Munoz could very well be the next big thing for France and he’ll continue his journey with ART, who are known for helping develop young drivers into strong ones.

Abbi Pulling: GB3, Rodin Motorsport

2026 is a big year for Abbi Pulling after a strong rookie season in GB3 saw her finish 10th overall as she stepped out of F4 cars for the first time.

At 23, time is everything and she’s the oldest driver in the GB3 field - if the goal is F1, top three is the minimum to achieve to take the next step towards racing F3. If it’s not F1, she needs to build a strong case for whatever is next, as she has been doing in her Formula E tests.

Kean Nakamura Berta: FREC, PREMA Racing

Williams F1 academy driver Nakamura Berta has become a hot prospect after two Formula 4 seasons that saw him become dominant in single seaters and an Italian F4 Champion.

After leaving Alpine’s academy, Williams scooped up the British-Japanese-Slovakian driver and he’ll hope they can guide him through another successful season. Title contender.

Maxim Rehim: GB3, Rodin Motorsport

German teenager Maxim Rehm won on his debut weekend in GB3 in 2025 for Hillspeed as he stepped away from his main focus of Italian F4 and apparently that was a good case for Rodin to snap up his services for a full campaign.

Germany has been screaming out for their next big star ever since Sebastian Vettel left F1, and with Mick Schumacher now racing stateside in IndyCar, Maxim Rehm could be what they’ve been waiting for.

Gabriel Gomez: FREC, Rodin Motorsport

Following the footsteps of Gabriel Bortoleto and Rafael Cǎmara, Gabriel Gomez is another Brazilian having a great time of late.

A title winner in the Formula Winter Series championship and concurrently a runner up in Italian F4 and Euro 4 to the above Nakamura Berta, he’s taking the step up to FREC with Rodin and hoping to maintain that strong from.

Nikita Bedrin: GB3, VRD Racing

Ex-F3 and current Formula E test driver Nikita Bedrin can count himself unlucky to not at least have made it to Formula 2, largely due to funding but is blazing his own trail to be a success.

He’s signed with VRD and will hope to win many races and be one of the top performers in this field to try create his next step.

Alex Ninovic: FREC, Rodin Motorsport

Some may consider GB3 to FREC a ‘sideways move‘ and as GB3’s 2025 champion, Alex Ninovic will hope that he can take that title winning experience into Europe.

The Australian driver ended the GB3 season strongly in a hotly contested title, showing his ability to keep his cool in tense situations. Definitely a title contender.

Lewis Gilbert: GB3, Arden Motorsport

It’s increasingly common that some drivers ‘skip’ series’ and Scottish driver Lewis Gilbert is the latest example after impressing Arden in testing and in the simulator.

Hugo Schwarze is the latest to skip F4/GB4 level racing and impressed in the series, could Gilbert follow his example?

📸Image credits: GB3 Championship, ABB FIA Formula E.