The 2025 Eurocup-3 championship officially kicked off this weekend at Austria’s iconic Red Bull Ring, a circuit famed for its sweeping elevation changes and breathtaking alpine setting.
The race weekend began with a single 40-minute practice session, followed by two 20-minute qualifying sessions. The results of each qualifying run set the grids for races one and two, respectively—both lasting 30 minutes plus one lap.
Earlier this year, the 17-year-old Zack Scoular got a taste of Eurocup-3 machinery during two Winter Series rounds, including his first drive at Algarve. However, this weekend marked his official debut in the main championship, going up against a deep and talented international grid.
Testing & Practice:
Scoular, making his Eurocup-3 debut with Palou Motorsport, faced a challenging but promising start to his campaign this weekend.
A mechanical issue during Friday’s test session limited him to just eight laps, with repairs proving more time-consuming than anticipated.
The opening practice session for Saturday unfolded under clear skies and dry conditions. Track temperatures began at 12.5°C and gradually rose another 2° as the session continued. Scoular returned to the track with a repaired car to complete 26 valuable laps in Saturday morning’s practice.
Scoular’s pace increased as the session wore on. He set his fastest time, a 1:25.832 on lap 21, which saw him end the session 16th overall.
Teammate James Egozi hit the ground running. The 17-year-old American clocked a best lap of 1:25.334, placing him comfortably in the top half of the field. Egozi enters the season off the back of a strong 2024 Spanish F4 campaign, where he finished sixth overall and secured three podiums.
Mattia Colnaghi of MP Motorsport topped the session. The Italian-Argentinian driver made an early statement with a blistering 1:24.626.
As the 2024 Spanish F4 runner-up, Colnaghi brings proven pace and consistency into the championship, having claimed two wins and two additional podiums last season.
Qualifying 1:
Scoular found himself in the midfield, qualifying 15th with a best time of 1:26.095, a slight drop in pace compared to his practice effort as Scoular continues to build his rhythm in his first competitive weekend in the series and on an unfamiliar circuit.
Egozi continued to show strong form, leading the charge for Palou Motorsport. The American driver qualified 7th, improving slightly on his earlier lap time and once again asserting himself as the team’s frontrunner.
Frenchman Luciano Morano, now in his second season with the team, slotted into 13th on the grid with a best lap of 1:25.736. Making him the second-fastest Palou Motorsport entry in qualifying.
Colnaghi continued his dominant start to the weekend at the sharp end of the field. The MP Motorsport driver snatched the season’s first pole position, confirming his status as an early title contender.
Joining him on the front row was 19-year-old Polish driver, Kacper Sztuka, while Yani Stevenheydens, representing the GRS Team, completes the top three starters for race one.
Race 1:
The opening race of the 2025 Eurocup-3 season delivered plenty of wheel-to-wheel action and standout performances as the lights went out at Austria’s Red Bull Ring.
Colnaghi, who started on pole position, led from start to finish in a composed drive, fending off a late challenge from Sztuka to secure the first win of the season.
A false start and an additional formation lap led to a slightly shortened race, with the clock reduced by two minutes. Despite the hiccup, the action didn’t disappoint.
Scoular made a steady start to his Eurocup-3 race debut. Starting 15th, Scoular held his ground in the early phases and even gained a position.
Colnaghi made a clean getaway off the line, immediately claiming the inside line into Turn 1. From there, the MP Motorsport driver set the pace at the front, demonstrating calm under pressure as the laps counted down.
Sztuka mounted a late push on the final lap, closing the gap to just half a second. But despite his best efforts, the 19-year-old couldn’t find a way past.
Elsewhere, there was no shortage of drama. Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. attempted an ambitious move on Jules Caranta, but ran wide and into the gravel. Although he managed to rejoin the race, the off-track excursion cost him nine positions.
Scoular found it challenging to maintain pace with the seasoned veterans as the race progressed, still adapting to a new car, team, and track on his debut weekend.
Further down the order, Maciej Gladysz delivered a drive worthy of attention. Starting from 25th on the grid, the Polish driver carved his way through the field with confidence and control, eventually finishing 13th, a remarkable 12-position gain that marks him as one to watch in the future.
Meanwhile, Isaac Barashi wasn’t as fortunate—after a mid-race spin, he was forced to retire, ending his day early.
Colnaghi took the chequered flag for the first win of the season, ahead of Sztuka and Ernesto Rivera, who completed the podium.
Scoular finished his first race 18th with valuable mileage and experience banked; he’ll be looking to regroup and rebound in Race 2.
Qualifying 2:
The second qualifying session delivered high drama and rapid laps as Caranta stormed to pole position. The Campos Racing driver set a 1:24.913 on his seventh lap, securing the top spot ahead of a highly competitive field.
Caranta’s session-defining lap came before a red flag halted proceedings. Linus Hellberg of Allay Racing caused the stoppage.
Once the session resumed, Colnaghi slotted into second at 1:25.014, just 0.101 seconds off pole. Continuing his strong form, Gladysz was third for MP Motorsport with a 1:25.181.
Sztuka and Rivera completed the top five, both within a few tenths of the leader. The midfield remained incredibly tight, with less than a second separating much of the grid.
Scoular qualified 23rd for Race 2 with a best time of 1:26.457. The Eurocup-3 rookie showed improvement early in the session but couldn’t match the leaders’ pace.
Incidents in the pit lane added to the chaos. Oscar Wurz was noted for an unsafe release, and other drivers were flagged for overtaking infringements.
Race 2:
At the start, Colnaghi got the jump off the line, launching from second to take the lead into Turn 1 ahead of Caranta, who started off pole position and tried to respond immediately, going wheel-to-wheel with Colnaghi through the opening sector.
But the standout moment came before the end of Lap 1, when Gladysz pulled off a stunning double overtake on Colnaghi and Caranta to seize the race lead. It was a bold and clinical move that set the tone for the Polish driver’s race. From there, Gladysz controlled the pace, managing a consistent rhythm.
Further back, there was no shortage of on-track battles. In the midfield, Valerio Rinicella and Sztuka went wheel-to-wheel midway through the race, with Rinicella diving down the inside and emerging ahead after a small error from Sztuka saw him run wide.
Sztuka, however, wasn’t finished. On the final lap, he staged a spirited comeback, making a decisive move to overtake both Red Bull Junior Team drivers Enzo Tarnvanichkul and Rivera, securing fifth place in the process.
It was a tougher day for Scoular, who struggled to find pace in the 30-minute race. He finished 23rd, more than 53 seconds off the winner, with a best lap of 1:27.640, placing him in the lower third of the field.
Gladysz delivered an effortless performance to win Race 2 of the first Eurocup-3 round, taking the lead on the opening lap and holding firm over 22 laps of intense racing.
Behind him, Colnaghi held on for second place and recorded the fastest lap of the race (1:26.239), while Caranta settled for third after losing out early. The podium trio proved a class above, finishing over nine seconds clear of fourth-placed Rinicella, who put in a composed drive for MP Motorsport.
With two races complete at the Red Bull Ring, Gladysz has announced himself as a serious title contender. MP Motorsport leaves Austria with two wins and a clear early lead, but the season is just beginning.
Although the final results didn’t tell the whole story, Scoular delivered a solid and encouraging debut in both the Eurocup-3 series and at a brand-new circuit. Showing consistent progress with every session, the Kiwi laid a strong foundation to build on as he gains experience and targets further improvement in the coming rounds. He departs Austria sitting 19th in the championship standings—just six points shy of the Top 10.
As the championship heads to Portugal’s Algarve International Circuit based in the city of Portimão on 6-8 June for Round 2 out of the 8-round championship. Scoular already has experience at this track from the Winter Series earlier this year.
Words: Aysha Finlay
Header Image: Palou Motorsport
