Yevan David to make Formula 3 history with AIX Racing
- Trisha Lynnette Nathan
- 17 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Trisha Lynnette, edited by Rohan Brown
Yevan David made history this year after signing his deal with AIX Racing to join the Formula 3 grid in the 2026 season. He will become the first Sri Lankan driver to join the series and the hype surrounding his arrival has only increased anticipation among feeder series fans as they await the new year.
The 18-year-old driver has enjoyed an eventful career, being extremely well versed in both karting championships and single-seater series. He began his karting career at the age of eight in the 2015 Asian Open Championship Mini ROK. His father took him to the karting track purely for fun, having been passionate about cars and a racer in Sri Lanka himself:
“This time we tried go-karting in Bandaragama and it just so happened that it was [going to] change my life forever because I fell in love with driving,” David said.
Over the next two years, he competed in the IAME International Final X30 Mini, the Australian Championship Cadet 12 and the ROK Cup Asia Mini ROK, where he finished fourth overall. In 2019 the Sri Lankan took part in eight championships across Asia, consistently placing within the top percentage of the grid.
Across the 2020 and 2021 seasons, David stepped up to higher-level competitions including the CIK-FIA European Championship and the RMC Asia Festival. His most notable result during this period came when he finished second in the FIA Motorsport Games Sprint Cup Junior.
He made the jump to single-seaters in 2024, competing in the Formula 4 UAE Championship with Saintéloc Racing. Facing a highly competitive grid, he finished 26th in the standings. He also contested the Formula 4 Spanish Championship and Eurocup-3 with the same team, finishing 19th with 12 points.
David also took part in a handful of rounds in the Euroformula Open Championship with Team Motorpark, competing in three races. He then represented Team Sri Lanka in the FIA Motorsport Games Formula 4 Cup, where he finished 11th overall across two races.
In 2025, David returned to the Euroformula Open Championship with Team Motorpark, finishing second overall, marking the best result of his racing career to date. He also completed a partial campaign in the GB3 Championship with Xcel Motorsport, contesting three rounds. During this stint, he secured a top 10 finish in GB3 at the beginning of August.
“Very thankful to have this opportunity to be racing as the first Sri Lankan driver in Formula 3, and with AIX Racing,” David said. “They’ve proved themselves and I’m excited to achieve great milestones with them for the season ahead.”
David became the first Sri Lankan to win the rookie championship and finish second overall in the Euroformula Open Championship. He dedicated the achievement to Sri Lanka, meeting Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage on 11th December to present his trophies.
Accepting the trophies on behalf of the public, Minister Gamage highlighted David’s achievement as a source of national pride, reflecting the depth of talent and promise among Sri Lanka’s youth on the world stage.
“It’s been five years now that I’ve been racing full time in Europe and that moment changed everything,” David explained.
“Because if I had not gone, there wouldn’t have been any karting achievements, any Formula 4 and especially the Euroformula achievements. But here we are today.”
“Honestly, I am really excited for it,” David added. “I have been watching Formula 3 since I was a kid, it’s the actual starting block on the road to Formula One. So you look at Formula 3 and you are like ‘wow these guys are on the way to Formula One, I want to be there soon’.”
As he prepares to join the grid, David is ready to wear the black and green colours and embrace AIX Racing’s identity.
“AIX have shown that they have been quick this year with Freddie Slater and Brad Benavides,” David said. “They have secured podiums and front row starts, so they definitely have the pace.”
In terms of team dynamics, David has already raced alongside his future teammates, having previously shared the grid with Fernando Barrichello in the Euroformula Open Championship.
“Me, Brad and Fefo have all been teammates at the same time last year,” David revealed. “I’ve also been Fefo’s teammate for the whole of this year, so we all know each other very well and we get along really well.”
However, stepping up to F3 comes with its own challenges, particularly when it comes to adapting to new strategies, racing styles and highly competitive grids.
“There’s a lot to adapt to, like tyre warm-ups, only having one push lap in qualifying, and the race run being heavily focused on tyre management,” David explained. “So there are a lot of different things that come into play.
“But you have to remember that this is what you wanted to do, you signed up for it. To be the best, you have to follow the procedures, do everything to the highest standard and improve on what you can work on. That’s how you move forward.”
David’s journey to F3 is a landmark moment not only for his own career but for Sri Lankan motorsport as a whole. As he prepares to line up with AIX Racing in 2026, David carries the hopes of a nation while firmly setting his sights on continuing his rise through the single-seater ranks.
