Photo: Dutch Photo Agency
James Wharton will step up to FIA Formula 3 next year with ART Grand Prix.
The move will mark a turning point in the 18-year-old Australian’s career as he leaves Prema after three years with the team.
In his rookie single-seater campaign he came fifth in the ADAC, Italian and United Arab Emirates Formula 4 championships as part of its line-up, then last year he was F4 UAE champion, Euro 4 runner-up and fourth in Italian F4.
He began 2024 in the Prema-supported Mumbai Falcons team in Formula Regional Middle East, and came sixth in the standings with two podiums. With one round to go, he is currently second in the FRegional Europe standings with Prema and has so far won four races and taken five poles.
This year he also made two GB3 outings with Fortec Motorsports and his F3 debut with Hitech GP at Silverstone.
“I can’t thank ART GP enough for this incredible opportunity. This is undoubtedly the most significant step in my racing career so far, and I deeply appreciate the trust they’ve placed in me and my potential,” said Wharton.
“I’m eager to start working with one of the most prestigious teams on the grid, and we’ll put in the hard work this winter to be fully prepared when the season kicks off.”
ART GP team boss Sebastien Philippe added: “We are very pleased to welcome James Wharton to ART GP for the 2025 FIA F3 Championship. James has shown impressive results in FREC, currently sitting in second place in the standings, and we believe he has all the qualities to succeed in F3. His performance this season has been outstanding, and we are confident that he will be a strong contributor to the team as we move forward.”