ART Grand Prix have completed their driver line-up for the 2025 Formula 3 season with the signing of James Wharton.
The Aussie joins Laurens van Hoepen, who has re-signed with the team after the 2024 campaign, and Ferrari junior Tuukka Taponen at the French outfit for next year.
Wharton has spent most of his junior team in Formula 4 with PREMA Racing, making his debut in 2022 in the UAE, Italian and ADAC Championships, finishing fifth in all three of them.
The 18-year-old returned to the F4 UAE and Italian F4 Championships in 2023, winning the former and finishing fourth in the latter. Wharton also finished second in the Euro 4 Championship that year.
Christian Mansell ‘can’t wait to cheer on’ James Wharton in Formula 3 next year
In 2024, Wharton moved to FRECA, staying with PREMA Racing for a third year. Heading into the final round of the season, the Aussie is second in the standings having claimed four wins and eight podiums.
Wharton finished fifth in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship this year and also made a few appearances in GB3 and also Formula 3, where he stood in for Martinius Stenshorne at Hitech at Silverstone, finishing 18th and 21st in the two races.
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Wharton would get another taste of F3 machinery at the post-season test with ART Grand Prix at Jerez, where he achieved a best finish of 15th in the afternoon session of day one.
Future teammate van Hoepen beat the Aussie in all four sessions across the two-day test, but Wharton did beat his other teammate Taponen in every session. Following this outing, ART made it official and Wharton will be the third driver racing with the team in 2025.
In a post on his Instagram thanking fans for the support in his career, fellow Aussie and F3 driver Christian Mansell shared excitement about Wharton heading to the category as he wrote: “Can’t wait to cheer you on buddy,” followed by a clapping hands emoji.
Can James Wharton perform at ART Grand Prix?
After spending three years in the PREMA setup, it would have been largely expected that the Aussie would race with the team in 2025.
But it is ART who have landed his signature, as Wharton becomes the second driver to leave PREMA for another team, following FRECA champion Rafael Camara with PREMA fans feeling they have ‘fumbled’ by letting the Brazilian go to Trident.
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Wharton has won multiple races in several categories he has competed in and has proven he is worthy of the step up to F3. He will be under pressure to deliver though, and van Hoepen and Taponen will provide strong competition within the team.
ART are a well-established outfit at this level and will provide the tools Wharton needs to be competitive. Only time will tell whether the 18-year-old can prove his worth in 2025.