Chinese Driver Xie Yonglin Claims Historic FIA F3 Monaco Sprint Race Podium with Second Place

At the FIA Formula 3 Championship Monaco Sprint Race held on June 6, 2026, Chinese driver Xie Yonglin finished second, becoming the first Chinese driver to stand on the podium in the history of the FIA F3 Championship. The race took place on Monaco’s 3.337-kilometer street circuit, renowned for its narrow layout, numerous corners, and extreme difficulty in overtaking—placing exceptionally high demands on drivers’ precision and consistency. Driving car No. 16 for DAMS Lucas Oil, Xie made strong progress from the start, skillfully avoided multiple incidents during the race, and delivered a composed performance to secure second place. This marked his maiden F3 podium and also represented DAMS’ first podium since their return to the F3 series in the 2026 season. Born in Shenzhen, Xie began karting at the age of eight or nine. In 2018, he claimed the China Karting Championship title, and in 2019 became the first Chinese junior driver to win the Asian IAME Karting Championship. In 2022, he dominated the F4 Chinese Championship, winning 13 out of 14 races to clinch the championship title. He then moved to the British GB3 Championship, where in the 2024 season he recorded one victory, two pole positions, and three podium finishes, helping his team secure second place in the teams’ standings. In 2025, he joined Hitech GP for his F3 rookie season, scoring his first championship points with a fourth-place finish in qualifying at the Hungarian round. For the 2026 season, he switched to DAMS Lucas Oil, embarking on his second F3 campaign. Previously, Zhou Guanyu won a round of the FIA F3 European Championship in 2018, but since the restructured FIA Formula 3 Championship was introduced, no Chinese driver had reached the podium—until now. Xie’s achievement fills this gap. The Monaco Feature Race is scheduled for June 7 local time.