Young Anglo-American racer Sebastian Wheldon has signed with MP Motorsport to complete its three-car FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) line-up. The 17-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, is moving up the ladder for only his second full season in European single-seater racing.

Andretti Junior Wheldon steps up to FIA FREC after a strong double campaign in Italian F4 and Euro4 in 2025, claiming a close third in the final Italian standings with no fewer than seven wins, two poles and six fastest laps, while lifting fourth in the Euro4 series with another win, two more podiums and three fastest laps. In the end-of-year F4 World Cup at Macau, the teenager grabbed fourth and the fastest lap of the race, once again underlining his natural speed.

Earlier this year, Wheldon first honed his Formula Regional craft in the 2026 Formula Regional Middle East Trophy, in which he claimed a pole and three podiums on his way to fifth in the title standings. Now he joins Alexander Abkhazava and Zhenrui ‘Newman’ Chi in MP’s trio of FIA FREC Tatuus-Toyota F3-T326 chassis.

“I’m delighted to become part of MP Motorsport’s FIA FREC line-up for the 2026 season”, said Wheldon, “Their pace was impressive when I raced them in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy, so it feels good to be on their side now! I’m happy with our progress during our first tests together at Hockenheim and Paul Ricard, and we will work hard to arrive fully prepared to fight for the top spots in the first round at the Red Bull Ring later this month.”

“We are all extremely pleased that Sebastian has decided to join MP for the upcoming FIA FREC season”, said Sander Dorsman, MP Motorsport’s team principal, “He was one to watch in his two American racing seasons, following an impressive karting career, and he has continued his mercurial rise in Europe. I’m convinced that he will be one of this season’s stars. With Alex, Newman and Sebastian on board, our line-up offers the strength in depth needed to challenge for the teams’ title as well.”

Before coming over to Europe, Wheldon was champion in the 2023 Skip Barber Formula Race Series with a total of six wins and 10 fastest laps. In 2024, he stepped up to the USF Juniors series, claiming third in the championship with four wins, two poles and five fastest laps.

Late in the year, a brief but winning foray in the UAE Formula Trophy for Formula 4 cars preceded a full campaign in the 2025 F4 Middle East Championship and his subsequent twin-pronged attack on the 2025 Italian F4 and Euro4 series.