The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, might be compact in length, but it offers a rich mix of corners that demand precision and confidence. Described by Kevin Magnussen as a “giant kart track,” the circuit is a favourite among drivers for its flowing layout and technical challenges, perfectly suited for the FIA Formula 3 single-seaters.
The weekend began with a disrupted Free Practice session, constantly interrupted by red flags and Virtual Safety Cars due to frequent off-track excursions. Amid the chaos, James Wharton managed to set a solid lap that put him 7th on the timesheets.
Qualifying proved to be equally challenging, with heavy traffic affecting clean runs across the board. Despite this, Wharton set a time of 1:21.735 on his first push lap, securing P12 — just four tenths off pole. The result meant he would start from pole position in the Sprint Race, thanks to the reverse grid format.
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When the lights went out on Saturday morning for the Sprint Race, Wharton made an excellent launch, holding the inside line into Turn 1 and fending off pressure through the opening corners. What followed was a showcase in composure and racecraft. With three consecutive DRS zones and long straights, the Red Bull Ring is widely considered one of the most overtake-friendly tracks on the calendar. However, despite intense pressure — particularly from Alessandro Giusti in the closing laps — Wharton held firm.
Two Safety Car interventions added extra complexity to the race, but the ART Grand Prix driver managed to quickly rebuild a safe gap both times. Lap after lap, he executed precise defensive moves and made no mistakes.
After 21 laps of relentless battling and pressure, Wharton crossed the line to claim his maiden FIA Formula 3 victory, Australia’s first since 2021 and also ART Grand Prix’s first of the season. His message over the team radio said it all: “Finally, one we deserve”. It was a win earned through resilience, maturity, and flawless execution — a moment of reward to what had been a demanding start to the season.
In Sunday’s Feature Race, Wharton had a more difficult task ahead, starting 12th. A cautious start to avoid contact dropped him to 15th, but he recovered to 13th after capitalising on an incident between two Prema teammates. However, with high tyre degradation and heavy traffic compromising his pace, he ultimately crossed the line in 16th. Post-race steward deliberations promoted him back to P14.
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“Super positive weekend, finally getting my first F3 win feels amazing. It's something I've dreamed of for a very, very long time. Overall, there's still a lot to focus on for the upcoming events and plenty to keep improving with the team. But to finally deliver a result like this and take my first win with ART Grand Prix makes it all incredibly special. It's also the first win of the season for the team in F3, which gives us a big confidence boost. At the same time, we need to keep our heads down, keep working hard, and try to improve the car in qualifying so we can start further up the grid on Sunday and fight for the bigger points. That’s the next target. But for now, I’m super happy and proud of what the team has achieved over the past few weeks. We’re definitely on the right path to start building consistent, strong results”, James Wharton said.
With 10 points scored from the Sprint Race win, Wharton now moves to 13 points in the driver standings and sits 19th in the Drivers' Championship. The next round will take place at the iconic Silverstone Circuit from July 4–6, home of the British Grand Prix.