| James Wharton | |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Best Finish: | TBD |
| Fastest Laps: | 0 |
| Starts: | 7 (8 entries) |
| Poles: | 2 |
| Podiums: | 2 |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Car Number: | 13 |
| Current Team: | Prema Racing |
| Current Series: | Formula Regional European Championship |
| First Year: | 2024 |
| Prev Series: | FR Middle East Championship Euro 4 Championship Italian F4 Championship ADAC Formula 4 Formula 4 UAE Championship |
| Prev Series Years: | 2024 2023 2022–2023 2022 2022–2023 |
| Birth Place: | Bundoora, Victoria, Australia |
| Birth Date: | 8 July 2006 |
| Nationality: |  Australian |
James Anthony Wharton (born 8 July 2006) is an Australian racing driver who currently competes in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship 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.
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 him and his father moved to Europe to progress his career, where he spent four years contracted to Parolin, competing in various continental championships.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
He remained with Prema for the European racing season, driving in the Italian F4 and ADAC F4 championships.[4] Just like during the winter, Wharton ended up fifth in both series, having obtained his only victory at the Nürburgring.
Wharton once again partook in F4 UAE at the beginning of 2023, being part of the Mumbai Falcons.[5] 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.[6] [7]
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.[8] [9] 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.[10]
In the 2024 pre-season, Wharton partook in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Mumbai Falcons.[11]
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.[12]
Wharton was signed by Fortec Motorsports to participate in the two Silverstone rounds of the 2024 GB3 Championship.[13]
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.[14]
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.[15]
In December 2023, it was announced that Wharton would be leaving the FDA going into the 2024 season.[16]
| Season | Series | Team | Position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Cadet | 43rd | ||
| 2016 | Australian Kart Championship — Cadet 12 | 4th | ||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — Mini Swift | Kartsport North America | 26th | ||
| Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Mini MAX | International Karting Distribution | 15th | ||
| 2017 | Australian Kart Championship — Cadet 12 | 1st | ||
| ROK Cup International Final — Mini ROK | Parolin Racing Team | 7th | ||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — Mini Swift | KartSport North America | 14th | ||
| Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Mini MAX | Int Karting Distributors | 3rd | ||
| 2018 | South Garda Winter Cup — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 32nd | |
| Victorian Kart Championship — KA3 Junior | 2nd | |||
| Rotax Max Challenge Euro Trophy — Junior | 2nd | |||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | NC | ||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — OKJ | 13th | |||
| WSK Final Cup — OKJ | 7th | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — KA100 Junior | KartSport North America | 1st | ||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — X30 Junior | 18th | |||
| 2019 | WSK Champions Cup — OKJ | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 5th | |
| South Garda Winter Cup — OKJ | 2nd | |||
| WSK Super Master Series — OKJ | 9th | |||
| WSK Euro Series — OKJ | 9th | |||
| IAME Euro Series — X30 Junior | Piers Sexton Racing | 49th | ||
| Italian Championship — OKJ | 4th | |||
| Coupe de France — OKJ | 11th | |||
| German Karting Championship — Junior | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 12th | ||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ | 9th | |||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — OKJ | Parolin Racing Kart | 31st | ||
| Trofeo delle Industrie — OKJ | 4th | |||
| IAME International Final — X30 Junior | 13th | |||
| WSK Open Cup — OKJ | 13th | |||
| WSK Final Cup — OKJ | 7th | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — KA100 Junior | 3rd | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — X30 Junior | 1st | |||
| 2020 | WSK Champions Cup — OK | Parolin Racing Kart | 31st | |
| South Garda Winter Cup — OK | 11th | |||
| WSK Super Master Series — OK | 18th | |||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OK | 20th | |||
| WSK Euro Series — OK | 7th | |||
| Champions of the Future — OK | 32nd | |||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — OK | 17th | |||
| 2021 | WSK Champions Cup — OK | Parolin Motorsport | 33rd | |
| WSK Super Master Series — KZ2 | 34th | |||
| WSK Super Master Series — OK | 36th | |||
| WSK Euro Series — OK | 25th | |||
| Champions of the Future — OK | 29th | |||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OK | 23rd | |||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — KZ2 | 15th | |||
| CIK-FIA Karting International Super Cup — KZ2 | 5th | |||
| Sources:[17] [18] | ||||
(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 | nowrap | Parolin Racing Kart | OKJ | SAR QH | SAR R | PFI QH | PFI R | AMP QH | AMP R | LEM QH | LEM R | NC | 0 |
| 2019 | nowrap | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | OKJ | ANG QH | ANG R | GEN QH | GEN R | KRI QH | KRI R | LEM QH | LEM R | 9th | 34 |
| 2020 | nowrap | Parolin Racing Kart | OK | ZUE QH | ZUE R | SAR QH | SAR R | WAC QH | WAC R | 20th | 4 | ||
| 2021 | Parolin Motorsport | OK | GEN QH | GEN R | AUB QH | AUB R | SAR QH | SAR R | ZUE QH | ZUE R | 23rd | 7 | |
| KZ2 | WAC QH | WAC R | GEN QH | GEN R | 15th | 8 |
| 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 |
| Italian F4 Championship | Prema Racing | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 166 | 5th | |
| ADAC Formula 4 Championship | 15 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 146 | 5th | ||
| 2023 | Formula 4 UAE Championship | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | 15 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 232 | 1st |
| Italian F4 Championship | Prema Racing | 21 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 205.5 | 4th | |
| Euro 4 Championship | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 169 | 2nd | ||
| 2024 | Formula Regional Middle East Championship | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 111 | 6th |
| Formula Regional European Championship | Prema Racing | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 6th* | |
| GB3 Championship | Fortec Motorsports | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 25th* | |
| FIA Formula 3 Championship | Hitech Pulse-Eight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31st* |
(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 | nowrap | Prema Racing | YMC1 1 | YMC1 2 | YMC1 3 | YMC1 4 | DUB1 1 | DUB1 2 | DUB1 3 | DUB1 4 | DUB2 1 | DUB2 2 | DUB2 3 | DUB2 4 | DUB3 1 | DUB3 2 | DUB3 3 | DUB3 4 | YMC2 1 | YMC2 2 | YMC2 3 | YMC2 4 | 5th | 168 | |
| 2023 | nowrap | Mumbai Falcons | DUB1 1 | DUB1 2 | DUB1 3 | KMT1 1 | KMT1 2 | KMT1 3 | KMT2 1 | KMT2 2 | KMT2 3 | DUB2 1 | DUB2 2 | DUB2 3 | YMC 1 | YMC 2 | YMC 3 | 1st | 232 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(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 | nowrap | Prema Racing | IMO 1 | IMO 2 | IMO 3 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | MIS 3 | SPA 1 | SPA 2 | SPA 3 | VLL 1 | VLL 2 | VLL 3 | RBR 1 | RBR 2 | RBR 3 | RBR 4 | MNZ 1 | MNZ 2 | MNZ 3 | MUG 1 | MUG 2 | MUG 3 | 5th | 166 | |
| 2023 | nowrap | Prema Racing | IMO 1 | IMO 2 | IMO 3 | IMO 4 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | MIS 3 | SPA 1 | SPA 2 | SPA 3 | MNZ 1 | MNZ 2 | MNZ 3 | LEC 1 | LEC 2 | LEC 3 | MUG 1 | MUG 2 | MUG 3 | VLL 1 | VLL 2 | VLL 3 | 4th |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)