David eyes Formula 3 Sprint win after Silverstone qualifying
DIRECT ANSWER Yevan David entered the Silverstone Formula 3 Sprint Race on the front row after his best 2026 qualifying, declaring he wanted to win in the sport. Campos Racing's Ugo Ugochukwu dominated the 18-lap race, but David held on for second — becoming the first Sri Lankan driver to reach a Formula 3 podium.
The AIX Racing rookie arrived at the British Grand Prix weekend with momentum. After finishing 11th in Free Practice, he stayed inside the top 10 throughout qualifying before ending P11 — his strongest session of the season. Under Formula 3's reverse-grid rules, that result placed him P2 on the Sprint grid, directly behind championship leader Ugo Ugochukwu.
Key Takeaways
- Yevan David qualified 11th at Silverstone, his best 2026 Formula 3 qualifying result, earning a front-row Sprint start.
- David told FIA Formula 3 he would "go for it" and chase victory from P2, calling it his first front-row start.
- Ugo Ugochukwu won the 18-lap Sprint Race in devastating form, finishing well clear of the field.
- David finished second in 33 minutes and 8 seconds, securing the first Formula 3 podium by a Sri Lankan driver.
- The next 2026 Formula 3 round runs in Belgium from 17 to 19 July.
Why did David start on the Formula 3 front row at Silverstone?
Formula 3 reverses the top 12 from qualifying for the Sprint Race. David's P11 in Friday qualifying therefore became a P2 grid slot for Saturday's shorter race.
Ugochukwu, who qualified 12th, started from pole on the reversed grid. David called the outcome his best qualifying by far and said spirits were high heading into the Sprint.
David told FIA Formula 3 that scoring points and keeping races clean remained the wider objective, but the front row raised the ceiling for the weekend.
What did David say about winning in Formula 3?
Asked whether his car had fully clicked at Silverstone, David stayed measured. He said the package had clicked, but not fully, because the high-speed British circuit is a specific challenge and he did not want to get ahead of himself.
On race ambitions, his message was sharper. "I'm going to be going for it. I always want to win," he said. "I want to win in this sport, in life in general and in my career. So I'm definitely going to go for it. We just have to be smart."
He planned to speak with his team about strategy and noted this was his first front-row start. "Just going for it, have some fun, and we have a great opportunity on our hands," he added. More weekend updates sit in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts feed.
Who won the Silverstone F3 Sprint Race?
Ugo Ugochukwu delivered a commanding victory for Campos Racing. Formula 1 described the American as being in devastating form as he claimed the Silverstone Sprint win.
Ugochukwu held the lead from the start despite early pressure from David through Turn 1 and across the opening lap. He then pulled away to win the 18-lap race, while David secured second and Theophile Nael completed the podium in third.
The result extended a strong British Grand Prix weekend for Ugochukwu as championship leader, while David converted his qualifying breakthrough into his maiden Formula 3 rostrum.
Why is David's podium historic for Sri Lanka?
Finishing second made David the first Sri Lankan driver to stand on a Formula 3 podium, according to Sri Lanka Mirror. The 18-lap Sprint at Silverstone became a landmark moment for the country's motorsport history.
Before the race, David had said his objective was to score points, finish in the top 10 and keep it clean, even while pushing for victory. He delivered on that plan by holding P2 to the flag.
With the Feature Race still to come at Silverstone and the next championship round scheduled for Belgium from 17 to 19 July, David leaves the British weekend with proof that his stated ambition — to win in this sport — is backed by front-running pace, even if Saturday's top step belonged to Ugochukwu.