Across the free practice sessions, Wharton showed encouraging pace as he worked through the learning process on a short and technical layout. He ended Practice 1 in P5, followed by P9 in Practice 2 and P5 again in Practice 3. The old-school layout of Hampton Downs proved demanding, with its tight 10-corner configuration offering little margin for error, compounded by strong winds that affected conditions throughout much of the weekend.
Saturday saw the action intensify with qualifying and two races. Wharton secured P8 in Qualifying 1, placing himself firmly in the midfield for the opening encounter. Race 1 was a challenging affair on the narrow circuit: after a strong launch off the line, he became caught in traffic through the central and mixed sections of the track, ultimately crossing the line in P10.
Round 1 CTFROT series Hampton Downs 8-11 January 2026 Photo by Bruce Jenkins
Race 2 was marked by misfortune. Starting from P10, Wharton was involved in an incident on the opening lap that forced him off track, rejoining in P18. Despite the setback, a well-executed team strategy allowed Wharton to start Race 3 from third on the grid, putting him in a strong position for Sunday’s race.
On Sunday morning, Qualifying 2 saw Wharton classify P10, before delivering his strongest performance of the event in Race 3. Starting from third on the grid, he ran a controlled and mature race to bring the car home in P5, maximising the result in a highly competitive field. Race 4 concluded the weekend with a steady drive to P10.
Round 1 CTFROT series Hampton Downs 8-11 January 2026 Photo by Bruce Jenkins
“It was definitely a tough weekend to start the year, but there are many positives we can take into the next races”, James Wharton said. “Ultimately, we are here to learn and to prepare for the European season, and I believe we achieved those objectives. I’m really looking forward to next weekend in Taupo, and I’d like to thank the team for all their hard work”.
At the end of his debut round, Wharton leaves Hampton Downs eighth in the drivers’ standings with 46 points. The championship resumes next week, 15–18 January, at Taupō International Motorsport Park, where he will look to build on the foundations laid during the opening weekend.