# James Wharton (racing driver)

James Anthony Wharton (born 8 July 2006) is an Australian racing driver who is contracted to compete in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship for ART Grand Prix.
Wharton was the runner-up for the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship, driving for Prema Racing. He was a race winner in Italian F4, finishing fourth in 2023. He was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy between 2021 and 2023.

## Career
### Karting

Born in Bundoora in 2006, Wharton began karting at the age of eight in his homeland of Australia. Following two years in Mini and Cadet karting he won eight out of ten races in his 2017 season, winning the Australian Championship in the process. Following that, he and his father moved to Europe to progress his career, where he spent four years contracted to Parolin, competing in various continental championships.

### Formula 4
#### 2022

Starting his single-seater at the beginning of 2022, Wharton would compete in the Formula 4 UAE Championship with Abu Dhabi Racing, a team operated by Prema Racing. The Australian dominated the first Dubai event, scoring three victories, and won the season-ending race at Yas Marina, taking home fifth in the standings.
He remained with Prema for the European racing season, driving in the Italian F4 and ADAC F4 championships. Just like during the winter, Wharton ended up fifth in both series, having obtained his only victory at the Nürburgring.

#### 2023

Wharton once again partook in F4 UAE at the beginning of 2023, being part of the Mumbai Falcons. After a consistent campaign, which included four wins and a total of eleven podiums across 15 races, the Australian clinched the title as a result of a last-round collision with title rival and teammate Tuukka Taponen.
His European campaign with Prema in the Italian F4 Championship proved to be more challenging, as Wharton would end the year fourth in the standings despite a pair of wins at Spa-Francorchamps. He also ended up finishing second in the three-round Euro 4 Championship with two wins and three further podiums, missing out on the title to teammate Ugo Ugochukwu.

### Formula Regional

In the 2024 pre-season, Wharton partook in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Mumbai Falcons.
For his main campaign, Wharton moved up to the Formula Regional European Championship, once again driving for Prema Racing, alongside former Italian F4 rivals Rafael Câmara and Ugo Ugochukwu.
Wharton participated in the 2024 Macau Grand Prix with ART Grand Prix. On lap 1 of the main race, Wharton crashed into the barriers at Lisboa, which caused a pileup that took him and several others out of the race.

### GB3 Championship

Wharton was signed by Fortec Motorsports to participate in the two Silverstone rounds of the 2024 GB3 Championship.

### FIA Formula 3 Championship
#### 2024

After Martinius Stenshorne was banned from the Silverstone round, Wharton was drafted by Hitech Pulse-Eight to make a one-off appearance there in the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship.

#### 2025

In October 2024, ART Grand Prix announced that Wharton will be racing for them in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship, alongside Laurens van Hoepen and former Ferrari Driver Academy member Tuukka Taponen.

### Formula One

At the end of 2020 Wharton was chosen by Motorsport Australia to be one of its representatives for the FDA 2020 Scouting World Finals. He ended up winning the shootout, therefore gaining a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy.
In December 2023, it was announced that Wharton would be leaving the FDA going into the 2024 season.

## Karting record
### Karting career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Position |
| 2015 | SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Cadet | | 43rd |
| 2016 | Australian Kart Championship — Cadet 12 | | 4th |
| 2016 | SKUSA SuperNationals — Mini Swift | Kartsport North America | 26th |
| 2016 | Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Mini MAX | International Karting Distribution | 15th |
| 2017 | Australian Kart Championship — Cadet 12 | | 1st |
| 2017 | ROK Cup International Final — Mini ROK | Parolin Racing Team | 7th |
| 2017 | SKUSA SuperNationals — Mini Swift | KartSport North America | 14th |
| 2017 | Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Mini MAX | Int Karting Distributors | 3rd |
| 2018 | South Garda Winter Cup — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 32nd |
| 2018 | Victorian Kart Championship — KA3 Junior | | 2nd |
| 2018 | Rotax Max Challenge Euro Trophy — Junior | | 2nd |
| 2018 | CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | NC |
| 2018 | CIK-FIA World Championship — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 13th |
| 2018 | WSK Final Cup — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 7th |
| 2018 | SKUSA SuperNationals — KA100 Junior | KartSport North America | 1st |
| 2018 | SKUSA SuperNationals — X30 Junior | KartSport North America | 18th |
| 2019 | WSK Champions Cup — OKJ | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 5th |
| 2019 | South Garda Winter Cup — OKJ | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 2nd |
| 2019 | WSK Super Master Series — OKJ | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 9th |
| 2019 | WSK Euro Series — OKJ | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 9th |
| 2019 | IAME Euro Series — X30 Junior | Piers Sexton Racing | 49th |
| 2019 | Italian Championship — OKJ | | 4th |
| 2019 | Coupe de France — OKJ | | 11th |
| 2019 | German Karting Championship — Junior | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 12th |
| 2019 | CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 9th |
| 2019 | CIK-FIA World Championship — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 31st |
| 2019 | Trofeo delle Industrie — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 4th |
| 2019 | IAME International Final — X30 Junior | Parolin Racing Kart | 13th |
| 2019 | WSK Open Cup — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 13th |
| 2019 | WSK Final Cup — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 7th |
| 2019 | SKUSA SuperNationals — KA100 Junior | | 3rd |
| 2019 | SKUSA SuperNationals — X30 Junior | | 1st |
| 2020 | WSK Champions Cup — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 31st |
| 2020 | South Garda Winter Cup — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 11th |
| 2020 | WSK Super Master Series — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 18th |
| 2020 | CIK-FIA European Championship — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 20th |
| 2020 | WSK Euro Series — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 7th |
| 2020 | Champions of the Future — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 32nd |
| 2020 | CIK-FIA World Championship — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 17th |
| 2021 | WSK Champions Cup — OK | Parolin Motorsport | 33rd |
| 2021 | WSK Super Master Series — KZ2 | Parolin Motorsport | 34th |
| 2021 | WSK Super Master Series — OK | Parolin Motorsport | 36th |
| 2021 | WSK Euro Series — OK | Parolin Motorsport | 25th |
| 2021 | Champions of the Future — OK | Parolin Motorsport | 29th |
| 2021 | CIK-FIA European Championship — OK | Parolin Motorsport | 23rd |
| 2021 | CIK-FIA European Championship — KZ2 | Parolin Motorsport | 15th |
| 2021 | CIK-FIA Karting International Super Cup — KZ2 | Parolin Motorsport | 5th |
| Sources: ||||

### Complete CIK-FIA Karting European Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
| 2018 | Parolin Racing Kart | OKJ | SAR QH | SAR R | PFI QH 41 | PFI R DNQ | AMP QH | AMP R | LEM QH | LEM R | NC | 0 |
| 2019 | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | OKJ | ANG QH 2 | ANG R DNS | GEN QH 47 | GEN R DNQ | KRI QH 14 | KRI R 9 | LEM QH 4 | LEM R 5 | 9th | 34 |
| 2020 | Parolin Racing Kart | OK | ZUE QH 39 | ZUE R DNQ | SAR QH 27 | SAR R 12 | WAC QH 33 | WAC R 26 | | | 20th | 4 |
| 2021 | Parolin Motorsport | OK | GEN QH 14 | GEN R 14 | AUB QH 38 | AUB R DNQ | SAR QH 21 | SAR R 12 | ZUE QH 34 | ZUE R 20 | 23rd | 7 |
| 2021 | Parolin Motorsport | KZ2 | WAC QH 26 | WAC R 8 | GEN QH 42 | GEN R DNQ | | | | | 15th | 8 |

## Racing record
### Racing career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 2022 | Formula 4 UAE Championship | Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema | 16 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 168 | 5th |
| 2022 | Italian F4 Championship | Prema Racing | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 166 | 5th |
| 2022 | ADAC Formula 4 Championship | Prema Racing | 15 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 146 | 5th |
| 2023 | Formula 4 UAE Championship | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | 15 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 232 | 1st |
| 2023 | Italian F4 Championship | Prema Racing | 21 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 205.5 | 4th |
| 2023 | Euro 4 Championship | Prema Racing | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 169 | 2nd |
| 2024 | Formula Regional Middle East Championship | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 111 | 6th |
| 2024 | Formula Regional European Championship | Prema Racing | 19 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 236 | 2nd |
| 2024 | GB3 Championship | Fortec Motorsports | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 25th |
| 2024 | FIA Formula 3 Championship | Hitech Pulse-Eight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33rd |
| 2024 | Macau Grand Prix | ART Grand Prix | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2025 | FIA Formula 3 Championship | ART Grand Prix | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0* | 29th* |
* Season still in progress.

### Complete Formula 4 UAE Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pos | Points |
| 2022 | Prema Racing | YMC1 1 3 | YMC1 2 5 | YMC1 3 24 | YMC1 4 9 | DUB1 1 1 | DUB1 2 1 | DUB1 3 1 | DUB1 4 6 | DUB2 1 | DUB2 2 | DUB2 3 | DUB2 4 | DUB3 1 8 | DUB3 2 11 | DUB3 3 10 | DUB3 4 4 | YMC2 1 Ret | YMC2 2 14 | YMC2 3 4 | YMC2 4 1 | 5th | 168 |
| 2023 | Mumbai Falcons | DUB1 1 3 | DUB1 2 17 | DUB1 3 4 | KMT1 1 1 | KMT1 2 2 | KMT1 3 13 | KMT2 1 2 | KMT2 2 2 | KMT2 3 1 | DUB2 1 2 | DUB2 2 2 | DUB2 3 3 | YMC 1 1 | YMC 2 1 | YMC 3 Ret | | | | | | 1st | 232 |

### Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Points |
| 2022 | Prema Racing | SPA 1 Ret | SPA 2 3 | SPA 3 9 | HOC 1 18 | HOC 2 6 | HOC 3 Ret | ZAN 1 5 | ZAN 2 4 | ZAN 3 6 | NÜR1 1 4 | NÜR1 2 5 | NÜR1 3 1 | LAU 1 | LAU 2 | LAU 3 | NÜR2 1 3 | NÜR2 2 5 | NÜR2 3 4 | 5th | 146 |

### Complete Italian F4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | DC | Points |
| 2022 | Prema Racing | IMO 1 4 | IMO 2 3 | IMO 3 9 | MIS 1 5 | MIS 2 3 | MIS 3 29† | SPA 1 3 | SPA 2 5 | SPA 3 Ret | VLL 1 3 | VLL 2 7 | VLL 3 4 | RBR 1 2 | RBR 2 6 | RBR 3 | RBR 4 4 | MNZ 1 30† | MNZ 2 15 | MNZ 3 C | MUG 1 Ret | MUG 2 7 | MUG 3 5 | 5th | 166 |
| 2023 | Prema Racing | IMO 1 23† | IMO 2 | IMO 3 5 | IMO 4 12 | MIS 1 3 | MIS 2 2 | MIS 3 28 | SPA 1 1 | SPA 2 1 | SPA 3 3 | MNZ 1 6 | MNZ 2 5 | MNZ 3 5 | LEC 1 3 | LEC 2 Ret | LEC 3 2 | MUG 1 8 | MUG 2 9 | MUG 3 3 | VLL 1 5 | VLL 2 6 | VLL 3 4 | 4th | 205.5 |

### Complete Euro 4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Points |
| 2023 | Prema Racing | MUG 1 6 | MUG 2 3 | MUG 3 1 | MNZ 1 3 | MNZ 2 8 | MNZ 3 Ret | CAT 1 3 | CAT 2 1 | CAT 3 4 | 2nd | 169 |

### Complete Formula Regional Middle East Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
| 2024 | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | YMC1 1 4 | YMC1 2 24 | YMC1 3 7 | YMC2 1 5 | YMC2 2 Ret | YMC2 3 5 | DUB1 1 28† | DUB1 2 12 | DUB1 3 5 | YMC3 1 5 | YMC3 2 4 | YMC3 3 2 | DUB2 1 6 | DUB2 2 3 | DUB2 3 11 | 6th | 111 |

### Complete Formula Regional European Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
| 2024 | Prema Racing | HOC 1 3 | HOC 2 Ret | SPA 1 DNS | SPA 2 3 | ZAN 1 13 | ZAN 2 14 | HUN 1 6 | HUN 2 4 | MUG 1 7 | MUG 2 1 | LEC 1 6 | LEC 2 9 | IMO 1 3 | IMO 2 3 | RBR 1 1 | RBR 2 5 | CAT 1 1 | CAT 2 1 | MNZ 1 3 | MNZ 2 3 | 2nd | 236 |

### Complete GB3 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | DC | Points |
| 2024 | Fortec Motorsports | OUL 1 | OUL 2 | OUL 3 | SIL1 1 20 | SIL1 2 11 | SIL1 3 C | SPA 1 | SPA 2 | SPA 3 | HUN 1 | HUN 2 | HUN 3 | ZAN 1 | ZAN 2 | ZAN 3 | SIL2 1 11 | SIL2 2 15 | SIL2 3 15 | DON 1 | DON 2 | DON 3 | BRH 1 | BRH 2 | BRH 3 | 25th | 30 |

### Complete Macau Grand Prix results

| Year | Team | Car | Qualifying | Quali Race | Main race |
| 2024 | ART Grand Prix | Tatuus F3 T-318 | 11th | 7th | DNF |

### Complete FIA Formula 3 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
| 2024 | Hitech Pulse-Eight | BHR SPR | BHR FEA | MEL SPR | MEL FEA | IMO SPR | IMO FEA | MON SPR | MON FEA | CAT SPR | CAT FEA | RBR SPR | RBR FEA | SIL SPR 18 | SIL FEA 21 | HUN SPR | HUN FEA | SPA SPR | SPA FEA | MNZ SPR | MNZ FEA | 33rd | 0 |
| 2025 | ART Grand Prix | MEL SPR Ret | MEL FEA 21 | BHR SPR | BHR FEA | IMO SPR | IMO FEA | MON SPR | MON FEA | CAT SPR | CAT FEA | RBR SPR | RBR FEA | SIL SPR | SIL FEA | SPA SPR | SPA FEA | HUN SPR | HUN FEA | MNZ SPR | MNZ FEA | 29th* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.