JAMES WHARTON CLAIMS MAIDEN FIA FORMULA 3 VICTORY

MEDIA RELEASE/James Wharton – Photos: supplied

James Wharton secured his first-ever FIA Formula 3 win, and Australia’s first since 2021, with a commanding lights-to-flag performance in the Sprint Race at the Austrian Grand Prix.

This morning, at the Red Bull Ring, the Melbourne-born driver lined up on pole position in his ART Grand Prix car. In the pre-race interviews, James had clearly stated his intentions to take this opportunity, as the eyes of the Formula 1 paddock are always pointed at the feeder series races.

When the lights went out, a strong start made sure he could create just enough of a gap to hold the lead into Turn 1. From there, it was a masterclass in defensive driving.

With three consecutive DRS zones and a powerful slipstream effect, the Red Bull Ring is widely regarded as one of the easiest tracks on the calendar for overtaking. Yet, despite relentless pressure from behind, especially from P2 finisher Alessandro Giusti, Wharton kept his composure. As battles and crashes unfolded in the midfield, bringing out two Safety Cars, he remained mistake-free, focused, and unshakable.

After 21 intense laps, Wharton crossed the finish line in first place, finally releasing all the tension with an emotional team radio message thanking ART Grand Prix for their hard work and declaring, “Finally one we deserve.”

And deserved it was—for the confidence, for the morale, and especially after a difficult start to the FIA Formula 3 season.

“We finally got the result we’ve been working for all season. It’s been a tough start, but we’ve worked hard with the team and behind the scenes to get here. Yes, it’s a Sprint Race, but we take it one step at a time. Now we’ve ticked this box, and we’ll focus on winning a Feature Race too,” James said.

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