Rashid Al Dhaheri will step up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing in 2027, continuing the Emirati driver’s progression through the international single-seater ladder.
The 18-year-old Mercedes-AMG F1 Junior Driver joins the championship after two seasons in Formula Regional, including a breakthrough 2026 campaign that produced three victories, eight podiums and fourth place in the Formula Regional European Championship standings.
His move also adds another UAE representative to the 2027 FIA F3 grid, alongside fellow Emirati Keanu Al Azhari, who has already been confirmed with Hitech.
Al Dhaheri Steps Up With Van Amersfoort Racing
Al Dhaheri will join Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing for his first FIA Formula 3 campaign.
The team has a long history in junior single-seater racing and has previously worked with drivers including Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during earlier stages of their careers.
For Al Dhaheri, the move represents the biggest step of his career so far.
He will begin working with VAR during the official FIA Formula 3 post-season testing programme, giving him an opportunity to adapt to the car and team environment before the 2027 season begins.
Strong 2026 Formula Regional Season
Al Dhaheri arrives in FIA Formula 3 following his strongest season in single-seaters to date.
He recorded three victories and eight podium finishes in the 2026 Formula Regional European Championship, finishing fourth overall.
That campaign represented a significant step forward from his rookie Formula Regional season in 2025, when he finished eighth in the standings.
His 2026 results also included a milestone for UAE motorsport, becoming the first Emirati driver to win a Formula Regional race.
Alongside his European programme, he competed in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy, taking three victories and finishing runner-up in the championship.
Karting Success Built the Foundation
Al Dhaheri’s path towards FIA Formula 3 began in karting.
His early career included multiple international titles, including success in the WSK Champions Cup, WSK Super Master Series and WSK Euro Series, before moving into single-seaters in 2023.
Across the 2023 and 2024 Formula 4 seasons, he collected five victories and 14 podiums, while also finishing third in the 2023 Macau Formula 4 race.
He then moved into Formula Regional for 2025 and joined the Mercedes-AMG F1 Junior Programme, becoming the programme’s first Middle Eastern driver.
Mercedes-AMG Junior Takes Next Step
Al Dhaheri’s progression into FIA F3 places him directly within the Formula 1 support structure.
The championship forms one of the main steps between regional single-seater competition and FIA Formula 2, with all 10 teams running three cars across a 30-driver field.
Van Amersfoort Racing Team Principal Brad Joyce highlighted Al Dhaheri’s three wins and eight podiums as an important foundation for the move, while Al Dhaheri described the promotion as another step in his development and an opportunity to represent the UAE and wider region at a higher level.
Two Emirati Drivers Set for 2027 FIA F3 Grid
Al Dhaheri’s arrival comes during a notable period for Emirati junior motorsport.
Keanu Al Azhari has already been confirmed by Hitech for the same FIA Formula 3 season, meaning two UAE drivers are currently set to compete on the 2027 grid.
For Al Dhaheri, the step follows a clear progression: international karting success, Formula 4 victories, Formula Regional podiums and race wins, and now FIA Formula 3.
The next stage begins with post-season testing before his first full F3 campaign with Van Amersfoort Racing in 2027.
