James Wharton
Wharton at the Mugello Circuit in 2023
NationalityAustralia Australian
Born (2006-07-08) 8 July 2006
Bundoora, Australia
Italian F4 Championship career
Debut season2022
Current teamPrema Racing
Car number13
Starts41 (42 entries)
Wins2
Podiums13
Poles3
Fastest laps2
Best finish4th in 2023
Previous series
2022
2022
ADAC Formula 4
Formula 4 UAE Championship

James Anthony Wharton (born 8 July 2006) is an Australian racing driver who most recently competed in the Italian F4 Championship with Prema Racing. 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 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]

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.[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.

2023

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]

Formula Regional

For 2024, Wharton moved up to the Formula Regional European Championship, once again driving for Prema.[11]

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.[12]

In December 2023, it was announced that Wharton would be leaving the FDA going into the 2024 season.[13]

Karting record

Karting career summary

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:[14][15]

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
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
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 European Championship Prema Racing
Formula Regional Middle East Championship Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited

* Season still in progress.

Complete F4 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 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
HOC
2
SPA
1
SPA
2
ZAN
1
ZAN
2
MUG
1
MUG
2
HUN
1
HUN
2
LEC
1
LEC
2
IMO
1
IMO
2
RBR
1
RBR
2
CAT
1
CAT
2
MNZ
1
MNZ
2
TBD TBD

References

  1. Studenkov, Alexander (28 June 2022). "Ferrari prospect James Wharton reflects on his personal growth: 'Last year I had a lot to learn'". F1 Feeder Series. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  2. "PREMA, Abu Dhabi Racing enter 2022 F4 UAE Season". Prema Powerteam. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022.
  3. Parker, Charlie (30 January 2022). "4 takeaways from F4 UAE Round 2: James Wharton dominates & Tatuus shows great racing". Feeder Series. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. "Ferrari Driver Academy underway for 2022". Ferrari. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  5. "First entries announced for 2023 Formula 4 UAE Championship Certified by FIA". F4 UAE Championship Certified by FIA. 29 December 2022.
  6. "WHARTON: WHAT NEXT FOR FDA GUN?". autoaction.com.au/. 23 February 2023.
  7. Brabner, George (20 February 2023). "Wharton wins title in dramatic finale: 4 takeaways from F4 UAE Round 5". feederseries.net.
  8. "Wharton set for second Formula 4 campaign with PREMA". Prema Team. 9 November 2022.
  9. Spadi, Daniele (21 December 2023). "Ferrari Driver Academy: 2023 driver-by-driver review". Feeder Series. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  10. "Ugo Ugochukwu is the first Champion of the Euro 4 Championship". KartXpress. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  11. Wood, Ida (3 January 2024). "James Wharton steps up to FREC with Prema". Formula Scout. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  12. Lee (9 December 2020). "Karting Australia - VICTORIAN JAMES WHARTON WINS FERRARI DRIVER ACADEMY SELECTION". Karting Australia. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  13. "A year of laying the groundwork with ambitious goals for 2024". www.ferrari.com. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. "James Wharton | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  15. kartcom (19 October 2016). "Wharton James". Retrieved 6 May 2022.
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