Interview
Ugochukwu in a ‘good place’ as he targets Drivers’ Championship with Campos Racing
Ugo Ugochukwu is aiming for the Drivers’ Championship in 2026, as he previewed his upcoming FIA Formula 3 campaign with Campos Racing, revealing what it will take for them to come out on top.
The American driver showed flashes of potential in his rookie year, achieving two podiums in the Spa-Francorchamps and Budapest Sprint Races, before finishing 16th in the Standings.
Ugochukwu is now returning for another season in F3, with the aiming of fighting at the front consistently in 2026.
“I feel in a good place within myself,” started Ugochukwu. “I have been performing lately, and I think the team is in a really good place as well.
“They won the Teams’ championship last year, and I think for us the goal is to repeat that and to also go even better, try to get to the Drivers’ championship as well. That would be a really good season.”
When asked what he had learned the most from 2025, Ugochukwu noted a few things he was keen to continue and others he is trying to improve.
“I think the speed was there, but I think there are a couple of other bits which are really important in an F3,” Ugochukwu explained. “Adapting to the conditions as much as possible, tyre management, and how to handle that in the races.
“I think that's a really big part of the weekend, and then I think having experience on all the new tracks for me like Melbourne, Bahrain, Monaco, I have had a first taste of that.
“I think now I'm in a position where I can really maximise those weekends where I guess some other people have a bit less knowledge.”
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Ugochukwu’s confidence has been building over the winter, following the three post-season tests with Campos where he was fastest on two of the six days.
The 18-year-old also won the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy in New Zealand with four wins and eight podiums in total.
“Yeah, my confidence has definitely been boosted going into the year,” said Ugochukwu. “The post-season tests were really good, pace-wise, and also just integrating myself into the team.
“I felt we were working pretty well and always trying to improve because it can always be better. I feel like we're in a good place to build even more knowledge through pre-season as well and try to arrive at Melbourne as prepared as possible.
“It was also definitely good to get that title in Oceania, get another championship under my belt.
“There were quite a few F3 drivers that will be on the grid this year, so it was good to get a little taste of how it is to be fighting with them. It was good to come out and I'm going to try to do that again this season in F3.”
When asked what it will take from him and Campos to come out on top this season, Ugochukwu responded: “That's definitely the goal, to fight for the championship. I think we're in a good place, but it's not going to be easy. I think the grid will be close.
“I think just trying to be up there every weekend will be the main thing because if your bad weekends can be P8, P10 instead of outside the top 12 in quali, that's how I think you're going to maximise as many points as possible.
“I think just focusing on ourselves, not focusing on the others too much and do the best job we can, starting from quali, which is super important. I think that just sets you up super well for the whole weekend, which is what I found last year as well in F3.”