Mercedes junior Rashid Al Dhaheri, 18, to become first Emirati in FIA Formula 3 with Van Amersfoort in 2027

Mercedes junior driver Rashid Al Dhaheri will step up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2027 with Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing, becoming the first driver from the United Arab Emirates to race in the series. The 18-year-old's move was announced by Mercedes on Thursday, 15 October, after a breakthrough season in the Formula Regional European Championship.

A historic step for UAE motorsport

Formula 3 is the third tier of the FIA single-seater ladder and races on the support bill at Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends, with a grid of 30 drivers. Al Dhaheri's arrival marks the first time an Emirati driver has earned a place in the championship, which has been a proving ground for many of today's F1 stars.

Al Dhaheri has been part of the Mercedes junior programme since 2025, when he moved up to Formula Regional machinery. He was the first driver from the Middle East to be taken on by the scheme.

"Every step has to be earned," Al Dhaheri said, adding that his focus is now on preparing for 2027.

A team with an F1 pedigree

Van Amersfoort Racing, founded in 1975, has a long record of developing young talent. Its list of former drivers includes Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Liam Lawson and Oliver Bearman, all of whom went on to race in Formula 1.

For Al Dhaheri, joining VAR puts him with a squad that knows how to bring rookies up to speed at Grand Prix weekends, where track time is limited and qualifying sessions are short.

The 2026 season that earned the move

Racing for R-ace GP in the Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA), Al Dhaheri won three races, at the Red Bull Ring, Monza and the Hungaroring. He added eight podiums in total, one pole position and one fastest lap.

He led the championship at the halfway stage, the first Emirati to top the FRECA standings, and stayed in the title fight until the final round before finishing fourth overall.

Earlier in the year he was runner-up in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy, where he won three races. That included a victory at Yas Marina Circuit, the first by an Emirati driver in Formula Regional competition.

From karting to the F1 ladder

Al Dhaheri began karting at the age of three and won titles in the junior Mini category before moving into cars. He made his single-seater debut in Italian F4 with Prema Racing in 2023, then raced in the Formula 4 UAE Championship and the Euro 4 Championship in 2024 before his step up to Formula Regional.

Formula 3 is the final step before Formula 2, the series where Haas's newly signed 2027 rookie Rafael Camara is currently leading the standings.

Key takeaways

• Rashid Al Dhaheri, 18, will race in FIA Formula 3 in 2027 with Van Amersfoort Racing.
• He becomes the first Emirati driver to compete in the championship.
• He finished fourth in FRECA in 2026 with three wins, eight podiums, one pole and one fastest lap.
• Al Dhaheri has been a Mercedes junior since 2025 and was the first Middle Eastern driver in the programme.

FAQ

Which team will Rashid Al Dhaheri drive for in Formula 3? Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing, whose former drivers include Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Liam Lawson and Oliver Bearman.

How did Al Dhaheri perform in 2026? He finished fourth in the Formula Regional European Championship with three wins and eight podiums, after leading the standings at the halfway point, and was runner-up in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy.

Is Rashid Al Dhaheri linked to an F1 team? Yes. He is a member of the Mercedes Formula 1 junior driver programme, which he joined in 2025.

Sources: The National, Gulf News, GRANDPRIX247