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Théophile Nael delivered a blistering performance to claim pole position for the Formula 3 Monaco Feature Race, converting his practice-topping pace into the fastest time across both qualifying groups. Brando Badoer lines up alongside him on the front row, while rookie Freddie Slater completed an impressive top three on his maiden Formula 3 visit to the Principality.
The result marks a significant moment for the championship, which had been dormant for two months following the cancellation of the Bahrain round. Monaco, as ever, offered no gentle reintroduction — just the unforgiving barriers of Monte Carlo and the pressure of a single qualifying session to define grid positions for the Feature Race.
As we previewed in our 2026 Formula 3 Monaco Grand Prix preview, qualifying at Monaco operates under a distinctive split-group format. With the grid divided by driver numbers — even-numbered cars in Group A, odd-numbered in Group B — each group had just 16 minutes to set their fastest times. The narrow streets and limited overtaking opportunities make track position in qualifying absolutely decisive here.
Group A burst into life immediately, with Ugo Ugochukwu the first to set a meaningful benchmark before ART rookie Taito Kato struck back with a 1:26.707. The session's early dynamics shifted dramatically when Noah Stromsted went quickest with a 1:26.349, only for Brando Badoer — already a podium finisher this season — to seize control with a flying 1:25.287, four tenths clear of the field.
Badoer continued to refine his pace as the session progressed, with rivals struggling to match him. Only in the final minute did MP Motorsport's Tuukka Taponen threaten, going to the top by just four hundredths. The entire top five were covered by a single tenth — a snapshot of just how unforgiving Monaco's margins can be.
There was drama further back, where Fionn McLaughlin made contact with the wall at Turn 7, losing his front wing and ending his session prematurely. As the chequered flag fell, it was Badoer who ultimately held the fastest Group A time by three tenths over Ugochukwu.
With Group A concluded, attention turned to the odd-numbered runners. TRIDENT made a calculated call to keep Freddie Slater in the pit lane at the start of the session — a strategic decision to gift the Audi-backed driver clear air for his flying runs.
Fields continued to form around Campos Racing's dominance, with Nael setting the early pace at 1:25.729, just seven hundredths ahead of MP Motorsport's Alessandro Giusti. ART's Maciej Głdysz then matched the front-runners with a 1:25.575, before Slater swept to the top — five tenths quicker than his rival — setting the session alight.
As drivers prepared for their final flying laps, the top four were covered by just 1.5 tenths. What followed was chaos. Both Slater and Nael made contact with the barriers at various points on their final runs — yet both continued, trading times as if the walls were merely a distraction. The Frenchman ultimately prevailed, setting the fastest time across both sessions with a 1:25.522. Slater, remarkably, finished second in the group — four tenths back — despite carrying front-wing damage.
With the Feature Race grid now set, all eyes turn to the Sprint Race tomorrow, which promises a fresh race winner in the Principality. With Badoer's front-row pace and Slater's ability to extract speed from a damaged car already on display, the racing this weekend in Monaco looks set to be anything but processional.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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