After a robust rookie System 3 season, Hiyu Yamakoshi believes he’s proven he cannot solely battle the highest drivers, however beat them.
Yamakoshi joined the F3 grid as a rookie in 2026 with Van Amersfoort Racing, shifting from GB3 and FRECA with the identical group.
His maiden season within the sequence has been spectacular, regardless of a sluggish begin with a disqualification and three races with out factors; the Japanese driver took his first podium of the season within the Barcelona Characteristic Race.
Now he sits seventh within the championship standings, with simply 20 factors separating him from third place. Heading into the ultimate two rounds, there’s a major quantity of factors nonetheless on the desk and positions nonetheless to climb.
Within the subsequent spherical, he took his first pole place on the Pink Bull Ring. Adopted swiftly by one other Characteristic Race on the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
A have a look at his rookie 12 months
When talking to System 3, Yamakoshi confessed he hadn’t anticipated the outcomes to return so shortly in such a aggressive sequence.
“I actually didn’t count on to get in a pole place on the Pink Bull Ring.” He stated. “A podium was anticipated sooner or later, however not within the Characteristic Race.
“I anticipated I’d have some podiums within the Sprints, however truly my first podium was in Barcelona, P2. Really, we had been chasing P1 all the best way.
“It was actually, actually good. For me, I feel I made superb progress from final 12 months and from the previous few years. These outcomes actually have given me further confidence going into each race weekend.”
Coming right into a sequence like F3 is an enormous step up from GB3 and FRECA, not simply by way of velocity however within the exclusivity and the expertise on present. It marks a major step nearer to System 1, with most of the 30 drivers supported by System 1 groups searching for their subsequent driver.
He went on to inform System 3 that his success has modified the best way he views the competitors, giving him a renewed confidence that he can compete on the high degree with the highest drivers.
“For me, the largest factor for my mentality is that I realised I’m not sluggish. I can compete with the highest drivers, the highest F1 junior group drivers. I can compete with them; truly, I can battle with them; truly, I’m typically quicker than them. That actually makes me further assured.”
Tight-knit teamwork
Inside the Van Amersfoort Racing group, teamwork is a key element. Bruno Del Pino has extra expertise than Yamakoshi and Enzo Deligny, with one different season below his belt in F3.
Nevertheless, all three drivers are new to Van Amersfoort’s F3 outfit, with Del Pino racing with MP Motorsport in his rookie 12 months.
The Japanese driver praised the assistance of his teammate, particularly the expertise of Del Pino, in serving to him extract all of the doable efficiency from the automobile and himself.
“Clearly Enzo is a rookie, identical as me, studying as a lot as we are able to from Bruno. Within the first few rounds, I realized rather a lot from Bruno, and the group actually helped me to place me within the high 10, high 12 on a regular basis.”
Yamakoshi is not any stranger to Van Amersfoort Racing. The Japanese driver raced with the Dutch group in his FRECA and GB3 campaigns in 2025 in addition to his 2024 Italian F4 and Euro 4 Cup seasons.
The continuity aided his progress into F3, and he advised System 3 how the familiarity was ‘actually useful’.
“That actually helped, significantly with tyres.” He stated. “Even from F4, I had completely different engineers yearly telling me, the one factor you want is to be actually good in tyre administration, which is de facto essential in F3 and F2.
“I feel the familiarity is de facto useful. For me, I do know all people from F4. After all, engineers are completely different, mechanics are completely different, however I do know them, they know me, they usually belief me. That’s the rationale why I stayed with VAR in F3.
“I feel additionally braking, technique-wise, I can brake onerous however properly, complementing my driving type.”
The ultimate two rounds
With summer season break coming to a detailed, the Japanese driver seemed to the ultimate two rounds. With Madrid that includes two Characteristic Races, he’ll have an additional likelihood to choose up a podium, with the next share of factors on provide.
“I wish to get some extra podiums. If we are able to have good qualifying outcomes, we’ve extra possibilities to win. So, let’s see. For me, I’ve actually good confidence.”
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