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‘I feel super motivated’ – Wharton thrilled to be back at PREMA ahead of ‘make or break’ 2026
James Wharton could not be happier to be back in PREMA Racing red for 2026, as he set out what he wants to achieve next season in what he feels is a “make or break” campaign.
The 19-year-old had a difficult rookie year in 2025, finishing in the points on four occasions, although one of those was a Spielberg Sprint Race victory.
Wharton wound up 18th in the Drivers’ Championship with 25 points, but he is hoping he can use that experience to have a better showing next season.
To help with that, the Australian driver has returned to PREMA, having previously raced for the Italian outfit for his first three years in single seaters – from 2022 to 2024.
“I feel super motivated, and super pumped up to be back at PREMA, back in red,” said Wharton on returning to PREMA for 2026.
“Going back to the factory a few weeks ago to start preparing for the tests, I could not get the smile of my face driving there. Now, it's a drive and not a flight, so it's good to be so close to PREMA, so close to the team.
“It's going to be my fourth season with PREMA, but first in F3. So hopefully my second season with that bit more experience I have, bringing it to the team, we can keep improving, on the driving and the team side as well.
“The team has been super competitive at the end of last year and we really have a lot of momentum going into 2026. So to join them, I can't be happier and can't wait for next year and Melbourne again.”
Prior to the 2025 campaign, Wharton had been working with same race engineer for much of his career with PREMA. He said that while they had not been reunited for 2026, having a familiar face around in the building will help him next year.
That level of comfort is what he is happy to have outside of the track, and what he wants to feel in the car next season.
“I think the biggest thing is being comfortable in the car,” he said. “All of 2025, I really struggled to be in a rhythm. Some weekends were better than others, and it was really up and down season for me.
“But for me it's about getting back into a rhythm, making sure that every weekend is consistent from FP. Starting the weekend on the right foot in FP, is probably the biggest thing.
“It's definitely something I learned from 2025, that starting the weekend, from Lap 1 in FP is super important. Being as close to the limit as possible in FP will always help quali, so that's the biggest thing I want to take into next year.”
Wharton and PREMA have proven to be a strong combination in the past, winning 13 races in their previous stint together, achieving 36 podiums in total.
In their most recent season together, Wharton finished second in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, and looking forward to 2026, he hopes that they can pick up from where they left off.
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“For sure I am going into 2026 knowing that it is a make or break season for me,” he said. “At the end of the day, this sport it doesn't wait for you, you have to go out and win the race.
“The plan is to win the championship next year, but there is a lot of work that has to go on between now and then, because nothing changes if you don't change something.
“So we need to make sure that I am doing the right things to start on the right foot in 2026.”