Williams Academy member Kean Nakamura-Berta will step up to F3 with Trident Motorsport next season, while continuing to receive backing from the Williams programme.
The 18-year-old joins Trident on the back of a strong FREC campaign, taking eight podiums, including three wins, to finish third overall.
Nakamura-Berta, who is half-Japanese and half-Slovakian, made his single-seater debut in the F4 South East Asia Championship in 2023 before finishing runner-up in the 2024 Formula 4 UAE Championship.
He enjoyed a breakout 2025, claiming back-to-back titles in the F4 Championship and Italian Formula 4, before adding the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy and third in FREC this year.
He follows 2025 F3 champion Rafael Câmara and runner-up Freddie Slater in making the same step from FREC to Trident.
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F3 confidence boost
Nakamura-Berta said he was "pleased to be stepping up to F3" with the continued support of the Williams programme.
"Completing a strong season in FREC and having the opportunity to join such a competitive team in F3 gives me great confidence as I look ahead to my F3 debut next year. A big thank you to everyone involved who helped get me here."
Williams sporting director Sven Smeets called it "a proud moment to see Kean step up to F3 with Trident Motorsport for his rookie season," adding that it reflects "the opportunities it creates for the next generation of talented drivers."
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