"Win now": we met Red Bull Junior Team driver Jules Caranta from Var at the Paul Ricard circuit

After his first season in single-seaters, finishing in the top 3 of the French F4 championship (3rd)...

Before pushing open the door to the Grand Prix antechamber on the FIA ​​F3 floor in 2026, if the roadmap is respected...

It's on the Eurocup-3 circuits that 16-year-old Jules Caranta is honing his driving skills today. A continental level chosen by the Red Bull Junior Team, within which the Saint-Tropez native intends to continue his meteoric rise to prominence. Perhaps by adding a first victory to his tally this weekend at Le Castellet...

Jules, does being in the top 5 of the championship with two podiums and a pole after the first two rounds suit you?

It's pretty good, I think. We knew from the start that we, at Campos Racing, would perform better when it's hot. This wasn't the case in Austria, at the Red Bull Ring, during the opening round, where I still managed to take pole position and 3rd place in race 2. On the Portimao circuit, however, the mercury peaked at 35 or 36 degrees and our team dominated the weekend. Personally, I gained consistency. Enough to collect more points (4th, then 2nd, editor's note) .

Why do the Campos team cars prefer the heat?

Pff, hard to say. We haven't really figured it out yet. I have the impression that our opponents overheat their tires more in these conditions. That could be a reason...

A word about your single-seater: the Eurocup-3, where do you place it between F4 France and FIA F3?

About halfway there. Compared to my F4 last year, the engine is more powerful and there's more aerodynamics. In the corners, you can immediately see the progress: more efficient, faster. On the straights, however, with the downforce, it's just as fast, if not slower.

Today, do you feel completely integrated into the team?

Oh yes! I get along really well with my engineer and my mechanic. Even though the latter doesn't speak English. To communicate with him, I started speaking Spanish. As for my two teammates (the Mexican Ernesto Rivera, current leader, and the Thai Enzo Tarnvanichkul) , they are rookies and members of the Red Bull Junior Team like me. There's a healthy competition between us.

By the way, what is life like as a Red Bull Junior driver?

It's very different! They help me a lot, on all levels. For training, for example, I have a real physical exercise schedule to follow daily now. I can go to Milton Keynes (the headquarters of the Red Bull Racing F1 team) whenever I want. I was there again last week to prepare for the Castellet event on the simulator.

What do they expect from you in 2025?

They want me to fight at the front. To compete for the title. Winning races, winning the championship, that's my ambition, anyway! I don't aim for anything else. The season is long. We mustn't rush. Just work hard with the aim of growing quickly.

Do you think you still have room for improvement in the Eurocup-3?

You know, there are always little details to improve. Overall, I have a good feeling. Especially in qualifying. My race pace still has room for improvement, it seems to me.

In what frame of mind are you approaching the Paul Ricard bend?

Obviously, here, I want to do my best. The maximum! We're riding on the same track as in F4 last season (the French Grand Prix track, 5.8km with the north chicane) . Third in Austria, second in Portugal: I only have one step left to climb. I want to win now. Getting my first victory at Le Castellet would be fantastic!