Monaco, Round 2 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship, marked the long-awaited return to racing following the enforced break caused by the complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East, which significantly delayed the continuation of the season.
It proved to be a demanding weekend from the outset for James Wharton. The Prema Racing driver encountered difficulties during Free Practice, losing control of his car and bringing the session to an early end. The limited track time in what is the only practice session of the Monaco weekend inevitably compromised his preparation heading into Qualifying.
With minimal mileage and no opportunity to build rhythm or confidence on the narrow and unforgiving street circuit, Wharton struggled to extract performance when it mattered most, ultimately qualifying in P25.
Despite the setback, the Sprint Race on Saturday showcased a more competitive and resilient performance. Starting from the back of the grid, Wharton delivered a clean and consistent drive, managing tyre degradation effectively while capitalising on his race pace. He climbed up to P22 and set the fastest lap of the race, underlining strong speed and solid execution. He was later promoted to 15th place following penalties imposed on other drivers.
The Feature Race on Sunday followed a similar trajectory. In a relatively processional race with limited overtaking opportunities, Wharton again maximised the package at his disposal, finishing in P18 and securing the fastest lap once more, a clear indication of his pace despite his track position.
«We managed to set the fastest lap once again, which really highlights the underlying race pace we’ve had all weekend. It’s something we’ve been aware of for a while now: the car is strong in race conditions. The key point is qualifying. We started on the back foot after the issue in Free Practice, and going into Qualifying with virtually no laps made it very tough to build the confidence needed to push on such a demanding circuit. Now the focus shifts to Barcelona. We clearly have the package to fight at the front, we just need to put everything together and prove it on track. Looking forward to getting back out there and putting the car where we believe it belongs», James Wharton said.
The focus now shifts immediately to the next round, as the FIA Formula 3 Championship heads to Barcelona from 12–14 June, where Wharton will aim to convert his evident race pace into a stronger qualifying result and overall weekend performance.