It is a big move for McLaughlin, who will jump straight onto the world stage after just one season of single-seater racing.
The teenager caught the eye of Red Bull after impressing in a shoot out in Spain in August 2024 and that helped him take the step out of karting and into car racing.
After a solid Formula Winter Series showing, he then dominated British F4 to win the title by 52.5 points and the manner in which he won the title has encouraged Red Bull, Hitech and McLaughlin’s team that he is ready to skip a second season of domestic racing and leap into Formula 3.
“I’m incredibly proud of everything I’ve achieved this year – it’s already been a whirlwind journey from karting to single-seaters, and now stepping up to FIA Formula 3 with Hitech is a dream come true,” McLaughlin said.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported me along the way, especially Hitech and the Red Bull Junior Team for their trust and belief in my potential.”
McLaughlin is set to become the second Irish driver to compete on a Formula 1 weekend in 2026.
Alex Dunne, who also won the British F4 title in 2022, impressed for McLaren in Formula 1 free practice outings earlier this season and has been linked with a move to Red Bull ahead of the 2026 Formula 2 season.
McLaughlin’s team-mates at Hitech Racing will be Japan’s Jin Nakamura and Michael Shin, from South Korea.