Australian Tommy Smith will join the FIA Formula 3 Championship grid in 2023, adding another Aussie name to the list of rising stars in the Formula 1 pathway category.
 
Smith will race with Van Amersfoort Racing next year, which includes a race on home soil at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023.
 
The step up to Formula 3 adds another impressive category to his already lengthy racing resume.
 
Smith has previously raced in Formula 4 in Australia, as well as driving in New Zealand’s well-regarded Toyota Racing Series. He also competed in the F3 Asian Championship, where he finished 10th in 2020.
 
Since then, Smith has competed in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, alongside a three-round appearance in the GB3 Championship. Remaining in GB3 for the 2022 season, Smith collected 18 points-scoring finishes in 24 races, including one victory and another podium placing.
 
Smith was understandably excited about his 2023 campaign.
 
“I am absolutely thrilled about this opportunity,” Smith told fiaformula3.com.
 
“Having raced in both FRECA and GB3 championships, stepping up to the FIA F3 feels like the right next move.
 
“I’m certainly aware that it will be a challenging season in which I will have to learn and adapt continuously, but I am convinced I am taking on this challenge with the right team. VAR’s achievements already in their first year competing in FIA F3 are a clear indicator of their level of commitment, and I look very much forward to get started with them and the championship.”
 
Van Amersfoort CEO Rob Niessink welcomed Smith to the team.
 
“We are excited to have Tommy as part of our driver line-up. He is new to the FIA F3 Championship, but Tommy’s time spent in FRECA and GB3 will certainly help him to pick up quickly,” Niessink told the Formula 3 website.
 
“Tommy is very eager to learn and quickly book progress. He showed this positive attitude already in the past and that will help both Tommy and the crew to jumpstart the season. We look very much forward to supporting him in this important next step of his career.”
 
Smith will get his first taste of Formula 3 racing at a February test day, before the opening round in Bahrain on 3-5 March. Smith will then head to Albert Park for the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix on 31 March – 2 April, with the FIA Formula 3 Championship racing at the circuit for the first time.