On the eve of the penultimate round of the season in Qatar, Trident Motorsport announces a change to its FIA Formula 2 Championship lineup. In the race scheduled at the Lusail circuit, on the outskirts of the capital Doha, James Wharton will drive one of the Milan-based team's two cars. The 19-year-old Australian will partner with the already confirmed Laurens Van Hoepen.
After achieving several excellent results in the FIA Formula 3 Championship this year, scoring numerous points and taking victory in the Sprint Race in Austria, the Melbourne driver now hasthe opportunity to make his debut in the higher category.
2023 was a breakthrough year for James Wharton, who won the Formula 4 UAE title and finished runner-up in the Euro 4 Championship. In 2024, the Australian made his debut in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, achieving two podium finishes that allowed him to be sixth in the overall final standings. It was though in the Formula Regional European Championship that Wharton truly blossomed, finishing runner-up at the end of a season that saw him on the podium ten times, with four wins and four poles to his name. In 2025, the Victorian driver finished eighteenth in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, with one win to his name.
Giacomo Ricci, Trident Motorsport Team Manager: “We are extremely happy to be able to field James Wharton in the next round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship. He is undoubtedly one of the most talented emerging drivers we have seen in FIA Formula 3 this year. James is an extremely capable and fast driver. Making his debut in Lusail will certainly be a great challenge, but we have carried out intense preparation work that, I am confident, will bear fruit.”
James Wharton, Trident Motorsport driver: “I am incredibly grateful to Trident Motorsport for giving me this opportunity to race in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. It's definitely a huge step in my career; there will be new challenges, starting with a more powerful car, longer races, increased tire degradation, and pit stops. There will be a lot to learn, but I'll try to make the most of this opportunity. Even though I won't be racing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship next year, this is definitely a great opportunity to learn something new, grow, and bring home a good result.”