FIA Formula 3 launches €1m fund to bankroll Camara, top-five F2 promotions

FIA Formula 3 this week introduced a €1 million prize fund, payable based on the 2025 championship standings, to help the top five finishers secure seats in Formula 2. The distribution is fixed: €300,000 for the champion, €250,000 for second, €200,000 for third, €150,000 for fourth and €100,000 for fifth. Payments are conditional — each allocation is only paid if the driver races in F2 the following season; if a driver does not move up, their amount is passed down to the next eligible finisher. The F3 fund is additional to Pirelli’s existing €300,000 award for the series champion, meaning the title winner could receive a combined €600,000 if they step into F2.

The measure applies to the recently completed 2025 campaign and names Rafael Camara, Nikola Tsolov, Mari Boya, Tim Tramnitz and Martinius Stenshorne as the top five; Camara clinched the title at Monza earlier this month, and Tsolov has already been announced for an F2 drive in 2026. F3 CEO Bruno Michel described the initiative as targeted support for emerging talent, noting that F2 budgets have risen to roughly €2–3 million per season and that financing is a key barrier to progression. Formula 1 President & CEO Stefano Domenicali also framed the scheme as a way to incentivise and support drivers moving up the single‑seater ladder. By tying payouts to promotion, the fund links championship results directly to F2 opportunities, aims to reduce the budget gap between categories and is intended to accelerate driver development for those who advance.