Théophile Naël (born 27 June 2007) is a French racing driver who is set to compete with Van Amersfoort Racing in 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship. He is also the 2023 F4 Spanish champion.
| Théophile Naël | |
|---|---|
Naël in 2023 | |
| Nationality | |
| Born | 27 June 2007 Saint-Étienne, France |
| FRECA career | |
| Debut season | 2024 |
| Current team | Saintéloc Racing |
| Car number | 44 |
| Starts | 20 (20 entries) |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 9th in 2024 |
| Previous series | |
| 2024 2023 2022–2023 | FR Middle East Championship Formula 4 UAE Championship F4 Spanish Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 2023 | F4 Spanish Championship |
Career
editKarting
editNaël was a successful karter in his national category, taking the crown in the 2018 French Championship, National Series Karting and in the 2020 IAME Series.[1][2][3]
Formula 4
edit2022
editNaël made his single-seater debut during the fourth round of the 2022 F4 Spanish Championship with Saintéloc Racing at Spa-Francorchamps, around a week after he had turned 15.[4] Having achieved four points finishes with a high of eighth place, Naël ended 19th in the standings with 11 points.
2023
editDuring 2023 pre-season, Naël was announced to drive in the 2023 Formula 4 UAE Championship with Saintéloc Racing.[5] With multiple points finishes across the season, Naël placed 11th in the standings.[6][7]
His full-time campaign would lie in the 2023 F4 Spanish Championship, as he continued to drive for Saintéloc Racing.[8] His first podium came only in the second race in Spa-Francorchamps, before taking his maiden car racing win the next round in Aragón.[9] Naël then put on a dominant display over the next three rounds, winning the next six of nine races, propelling himself to the top of the standings.[10] Another win the next round in Circuit Ricardo Tormo put him at the brink of the title.[11] Despite a complete sweep by rival Christian Ho during the season finale in Barcelona, Naël's massive points lead allowed him to seal the title during the first race.[12] He described his title win as "unbelievable" as he won against long-standing rivals Campos Racing and MP Motorsport.[13] He achieved eight wins, five poles and fourteen podiums whilst harnessing 314 points, 23 ahead of rival Ho.
Formula Regional
editNaël stepped up to the Formula Regional European Championship for 2024, continuing his relationship with Saintéloc Racing.[14] Before that, he competed in the pre-season Formula Regional Middle East Championship with the team.[15] He took his first Formula Regional win during the second round at Yas Marina and a further podium.[16] Ending the season with a third place, Naël was 11th in the standings.[17]
In his main campaign, Naël had a sluggish first half of the season with only three points finishes.[18] However, his breakthrough came at the Red Bull Ring where he won the second race from third on the grid.[19] He ended the season strongly with two fourth places in Monza, in which he even took his first pole in the final race.[20] Naël ended his first FRECA campaign ninth in the standings with 81 points.[21] He also partook in the Macau Grand Prix with Saintéloc.[22] He finished 14th in the main race, but was later disqualified as his team crew had illegally started the car again when his car had stalled.[23]
FIA Formula 3 Championship
editIn October 2024, Naël participated in the first round of FIA Formula 3 post-season testing at Jerez, with Van Amersfoort Racing.[24]
On November 28, 2024 Naël was confirmed as part of Van Amersfoort Racing's lineup for the 2025 season.[25][26]
Karting record
editKarting career summary
edit| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Micro Max | Laurent Nael | 34th |
| 2018 | Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Mini Max | Nuvolini Stephen | 21st |
| French Championship — Cadet | 1st | ||
| National Series Karting — Cadet | 1st | ||
| 2019 | CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ | ||
| 2020 | IAME Series France — X30 Junior | 2N Racing | 1st |
| IAME Euro Series — X30 Junior | 3rd | ||
| IAME International Games — X30 Junior | 2N Racing | 51st | |
| 2021 | IAME Warriors Final — X30 Junior | 3rd | |
| Source:[27] | |||
Racing record
editRacing career summary
edit| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | F4 Spanish Championship | Saintéloc Racing | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 19th |
| 2023 | Formula 4 UAE Championship | Saintéloc Racing | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 11th |
| F4 Spanish Championship | 21 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 314 | 1st | ||
| 2024 | Formula Regional Middle East Championship | Saintéloc Racing | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 75 | 11th |
| Formula Regional European Championship | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 81 | 9th | ||
| Macau Grand Prix | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DSQ | ||
| 2025 | FIA Formula 3 Championship | Van Amersfoort Racing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TBD |
* Season still in progress.
Complete F4 Spanish Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saintéloc Racing | ALG 1 |
ALG 2 |
ALG 3 |
JER 1 |
JER 2 |
JER 3 |
CRT 1 |
CRT 2 |
CRT 3 |
SPA 1 24 |
SPA 2 12 |
SPA 3 Ret |
ARA 1 8 |
ARA 2 23 |
ARA 3 21† |
NAV 1 11 |
NAV 2 10 |
NAV 3 8 |
CAT 1 15 |
CAT 2 11 |
CAT 3 9 |
19th | 11 |
| 2023 | Saintéloc Racing | SPA 1 7 |
SPA 2 3 |
SPA 3 6 |
ARA 1 5 |
ARA 2 3 |
ARA 3 1 |
NAV 1 1 |
NAV 2 1 |
NAV 3 3 |
JER 1 1 |
JER 2 4 |
JER 3 1 |
EST 1 1 |
EST 2 1 |
EST 3 Ret |
CRT 1 2 |
CRT 2 1 |
CRT 3 19 |
CAT 1 3 |
CAT 2 18 |
CAT 3 2 |
1st | 314 |
Complete F4 UAE Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Saintéloc Racing | DUB1 1 7 |
DUB1 2 Ret |
DUB1 3 7 |
KMT1 1 4 |
KMT1 2 15 |
KMT1 3 8 |
KMT2 1 10 |
KMT2 2 9 |
KMT2 3 32 |
DUB2 1 26 |
DUB2 2 28 |
DUB2 3 6 |
YMC 1 28† |
YMC 2 9 |
YMC 3 6 |
11th | 49 |
Complete Formula Regional Middle East Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Saintéloc Racing | YMC1 1 13 |
YMC1 2 10 |
YMC1 3 6 |
YMC2 1 8 |
YMC2 2 1 |
YMC2 3 2 |
DUB1 1 10 |
DUB1 2 Ret |
DUB1 3 10 |
YMC3 1 Ret |
YMC3 2 Ret |
YMC3 3 12 |
DUB2 1 Ret |
DUB2 2 9 |
DUB2 3 3 |
11th | 75 |
Complete Formula Regional European Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Saintéloc Racing | HOC 1 Ret |
HOC 2 7 |
SPA 1 11 |
SPA 2 7 |
ZAN 1 17 |
ZAN 2 13 |
HUN 1 DSQ |
HUN 2 9 |
MUG 1 23 |
MUG 2 14 |
LEC 1 11 |
LEC 2 14 |
IMO 1 7 |
IMO 2 8 |
RBR 1 13 |
RBR 2 1 |
CAT 1 6 |
CAT 2 11 |
MNZ 1 4 |
MNZ 2 4 |
9th | 81 |
Complete Macau Grand Prix results
edit| Year | Team | Car | Qualifying | Quali Race | Main race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tatuus F3 T-318 | 8th | 11th | DSQ |
References
edit- ^ "French Championship - Cadet 2018". DriverDB. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "National Series Karting - Cadet". DriverDB. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "IAME Series France - X30 Junior". DriverDB. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Wood, Ida (5 July 2022). "Sainteloc Racing and Brazilian F4 duo to debut in Spanish F4 at Spa". Formula Scout. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Wood, Ida (14 December 2023). "Cram Motorsport and Sainteloc Racing reveal F4 UAE line-ups". Formula Scout. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "F4 United Arab Emirates Championship 2023". DriverDB. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Tassel, Pierre (22 February 2023). "Deux Top 10 pour conclure la saison F4 UAE". Saintéloc Racing (in French).
- ^ Wood, Ida (3 May 2023). "Sainteloc Racing reveals Spanish F4 line-up and Cram adds Silvaggi". Formula Scout. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Allen, Peter (28 May 2023). "Nael takes his and Sainteloc Racing's first Spanish F4 win at Aragon". Formula Scout. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Spanish F4 leader Théophile Naël: 'I knew there was an opportunity to do something in this championship'". Feeder Series. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Théophile Naël one step away from the F4 Spain title". Saintéloc Racing. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Allen, Peter (11 November 2023). "Nael clinches Spanish F4 crown even as Ho wins Barcelona race one". Formula Scout. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Alonso Lopez, Alejandro (14 November 2023). "Theophile Nael: "To win versus Campos and MP is just unbelievable"". Formula Scout. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Gascoigne, Roger (1 December 2023). "Nael, de Palo and Peugeot form Sainteloc's all-rookie 2024 FREC line-up". Formula Scout. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Wood, Ida (5 January 2024). "FRegional Middle East grid grows with a week to go before round one". Formula Scout. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ Gascoigne, Roger (20 January 2024). "Nael scores his and Sainteloc's first FRegional win at Yas Marina". Formula Scout. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ "Formula Regional Middle East Championship 2024 Standings". DriverDB. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ "Théophile in action: A look back at the intense Hungaroring weekend". theophilenael.com. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ Allen, Peter (15 September 2024). "Nael beats Stromsted to first win in eventful race for FREC contenders". Formula Scout. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ "Ugochukwu finally triumphs as Strømsted takes rookie championship: FR Europe Monza recap". Feeder Series. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ "Impressive performance by Théophile Naël at Monza". theophilenael.com. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ "FIA FRegional World Cup: Macau Grand Prix guide". Feeder Series. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ Wood, Ida (18 November 2024). "Three drivers get disqualified from Macau GP". Formula Scout. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ "Formula 3 begins post-season testing in Jerez". FIAFormula3® - The Official F3® Website. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ "Van Amersfoort Racing confirm Théophile Nael for 2025 campaign". FIAFormula3® - The Official F3® Website. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ Scout, Formula (2024-11-30). "Sagrera and Nael secure steps up to F3 for 2025". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
- ^ "Théophile Naël | Racing career profile | Driver Database". Driver DB. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
External links
edit- Official website
- Théophile Naël career summary at DriverDB.com