The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, known as the “Temple of Speed”, provided the setting for the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship. One of the fastest circuits on the calendar, Monza combines long straights and heavy braking zones with technical sections such as the Variante della Roggia and the Lesmo corners. The importance of slipstreaming and the low-downforce nature of the circuit make positioning and race strategy particularly important throughout the weekend.
James Wharton began the weekend on Friday with a familiar focus on set-up work during Free Practice, working with the team to find the right balance and build up his pace around the high-speed Italian circuit. Qualifying was split into two groups, with Wharton finishing P8 in Group B, which translated into P15 in the combined classification.
Starting from P15 in Saturday’s Sprint Race, Wharton produced a strong fightback through the field, climbing as high as P7 and showcasing a series of impressive overtakes. Multiple Safety Car restarts created further opportunities for the Australian to attack, allowing him to make significant progress through the order. However, tyre degradation began to affect his performance in the closing stages, while an unfavourable tow on the long Monza straights made it increasingly difficult to defend his position. Wharton ultimately crossed the line in P12.
The Feature Race on Sunday delivered a more positive outcome. Wharton maintained a strong pace throughout the race and managed to fight his way into the points-paying positions, crossing the finish line in P10 to secure another championship point.
«It was a difficult weekend in terms of pace. We obviously had a tough call to make with the out-lap and the toe game we have in Monza, which definitely wasn’t the easiest call we could have made this year. At the end of the day, we didn’t quite maximise the opportunity, so we had to start a little further back than we wanted.
In the races, we maximised what we could. We had a really good first lap in the Sprint Race and ended up as high as P7 at one point, but we just didn’t have the pace to stay there and eventually dropped out of the points. In the Feature Race, we capitalised on other people’s mistakes and brought home one point for the team.
Overall, we still have a long way to go to be back at the front. But we have one race left, a double-header in Madrid, with two back-to-back qualifying sessions that give us another opportunity to move forward. So, full focus on Madrid, and hopefully we can finish the season on a strong note», James Wharton said.
The championship now heads to Madrid for the season finale, taking place from 11–13 September. The Spanish round will bring the 2026 FIA Formula 3 season to a close with an exceptional three-race weekend, providing one final opportunity for Wharton to finish the campaign on a strong note.