Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
Prema’s FIA Formula 3 drivers remain confident heading into the Melbourne season opener despite the recent changes at the team.
The Italian outfit enters this season without its founding Rosin family after they and other key senior figures departed over the winter, while parent company DC Racing Solutions’ financial situation has left uncertainty over its IndyCar participation.
There has been a knock-on effect for the F3 programme, with Enzo Deligny announcing he would be driving for Van Amersfoort Racing this year having previously signed with Prema.
“It was not an easy decision,” said the Frenchman. “The state of Prema was not the same as when we joined it. It wasn’t my call, but my management team opted to switch to VAR.”
Deligny’s replacement, Jose Garfias, was announced by Prema just a day later and was quick to defend his team when asked about the situation.
“The atmosphere is really great compared to other teams I’ve been with,” Garfias explained. “It’s a great team, great people and a great atmosphere and they’re all pushing to win.”
“The background noise is something that has and always will be there. There are rumours but everything inside the team seems to be going well. The focus is on performing and the better we perform the better it is for everyone else.”
Team-mates Louis Sharp and James Wharton echoed Garfias’ comments and played down any disruption, with Sharp claiming the atmosphere in the team is “as strong as it was six months ago.”
“I think the background noise isn’t nearly as big as I think a lot of people think it is,” said Sharp.
“There’s always a lot of rumours in motorsport but I think that the environment is equally as strong as it was six months ago when I joined the team. The teams ready to win, they’re fighting and giving everything so our job is to fight with them and deliver with them.”
Wharton echoed the words of support for a team he has returned to for his second season in F3, having previously spent three years with Prema across Formula 4 and Formula Regional from 2022 to ’24.
“As a driver the environment is amazing,” Wharton explained. “I don’t feel like there’s been that much of a change within our group of people.
“The engineering department and technical department hasn’t changed for us so from an atmosphere point of view nothing has changed. I feel as good as I felt six months ago. I’m happy to be here and we’re fully supporting the team.”