La Derecha Diario The new Colapinto?: Who is Mattia Colnaghi, the Italo-Argentine joining F3
The 17-year-old driver was confirmed in the F1 support category starting in 2026 and will be part of the Red Bull Junior Team
Argentine motorsport is celebrating great news: Mattia Colnaghi, a 17-year-old Italian-Argentine driver, has been announced as a new member of FIA Formula 3 with MP Motorsport for the 2026 season. He will also join the prestigious Red Bull Junior Team, a program that promotes young talents toward Formula 1 and has already featured Franco Colapinto as a protagonist.
Currently, Colnaghi is leading the Eurocup-3, where he has accumulated four victories and two podiums in 2025, a campaign that reinforces his rising career. His previous track record had already caused attention: Spanish F4 champion in 2024 with six wins and rapid progress in single-seaters after his time in international karting.
The driver, born in Monza but with Argentine roots on his mother's side, originally from Patagonia, expressed his excitement after the confirmation: "I'm very excited about the opportunity that MP Motorsport and the Red Bull Junior Team have given me. Joining Grand Prix weekends as a Formula 3 driver is a dream come true, and I'm looking forward to continuing to build the unbelievable working relationship that MP and I have developed over the past two seasons".
He also highlighted the support from the Austrian organization: "The support from Helmut Marko and Red Bull is essential for my development. MP Motorsport is my family and I hope to maintain a successful period with them in F3".
From the team, Sander Dorsman, director of MP Motorsport, celebrated the young talent's step up: "Moving up to FIA F3 with Mattia is a proud moment for us. We immediately recognized his talent when he arrived in the winter of 2023-2024 and it was a joy to see him win the Spanish F4 in his first year out of karting. His ability to overcome adverse situations makes him special".
Meanwhile, as he prepares for his debut in 2026, Colnaghi keeps his focus on the Eurocup-3, where he leads with 177 points ahead of Valerio Rinicella (165). The next event will be at Spa-Francorchamps, one of motorsport's temples.
With the Argentine and Italian flags on his fireproof suit, Colnaghi seeks to continue a tradition of national drivers in the categories leading up to Formula 1, with the hope of one day reaching the highest category of world motorsport.
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