James Wharton will compete in the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing. For the young Australian, this marks a return “home” after a one-year stint with ART Grand Prix in 2025.
It was with Prema that, in 2022, Wharton made his single-seater debut in the Italian Formula 4 Championship. This collaboration spanned three years, with James going on to claim vice-champion honours in the 2023 Euro 4 Championship and fourth place in Italian F4. In 2024, Wharton continued his progression in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, securing another runner-up position in the drivers’ standings, scoring more points than any other competitor in the second half of the season, and contributing to the team’s triumph in the Teams’ Championship.
After a one-year hiatus from the Italian team, the 2026 season will mark Wharton’s return to the squad that has guided his career from the very beginning, this time for his second campaign in FIA Formula 3. The driver from Bundoora is ready to take on this new challenge with the clear goal of fighting at the front and aiming for victories together once again.
“I’m truly delighted to be returning to Prema, which I consider my second family,” said the Australian driver. “Over the next month, we will focus on post-season testing to ensure we are fully prepared for the 2026 season. The goal is to start on the right foot in Melbourne and immediately compete at the highest level. There is still plenty of work ahead, but I’m very happy to be back and extremely motivated for what lies ahead.”
With Wharton’s announcement, Prema Racing takes another important step in shaping its 2026 FIA Formula 3 line-up, reaffirming its mission to nurture and support young talents on their path toward the highest levels of motorsport.
FIA F3 2026 CALENDAR
06-08 March - Australian GP, Melbourne
10-12 April - Bahrain GP, Sakhir
04-07 June - Monaco GP, Monte-Carlo
12-14 June - Barcelona-Catalunya GP, Barcelona
26-28 June - Austrian GP, Spielberg
03-05 July - Great Britain GP, Silverstone
17-19 July - Belgium GP, Spa-Francorchamps
24-26 July - Hungarian GP, Budapest
04-06 September - Italian GP, Monza
11-13 September - Spanish GP, Madrid*
*Subject to FIA Circuit Homologation