17-year-old James Wharton will step in to replace Martinius Stenshorne for Round 7 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at the British Grand Prix this weekend (5-7 July).

While this is a one-off race with Hitech GP, it does mark the Australian’s Formula 3 debut, and the prestigious Silverstone Circuit, with its challenging layout and rich motorsport history, will provide him with the perfect stage.

James Wharton’s racing career began in 2011 in karting, where he quickly made a name for himself by winning several prestigious trophies, including the SKUSA SuperNationals KA100 Junior in 2018. In 2022, the Australian transitioned to single-seater cars and moved to Europe to race in the Italian Formula 4 Championship.

In 2023, James became the Formula 4 UAE Champion and finished as the runner-up in the Euro 4 Series. Currently, Wharton competes in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, with two podium finishes and two pole positions to his name.

“I can’t thank Hitech Grand Prix enough for the opportunity and for trusting me to take the wheel this weekend at Silverstone,’ said James. “This is the biggest opportunity I’ve had in my career so far. It’s going to be a challenging weekend, but I can’t wait to show what I can do.”

“We’re looking forward to having James in the car for this weekend and have been busy preparing him in the simulator,” commented Hitech GP’s F3 Team Manager, Paul Bellringer. “It will be a challenging and exciting Formula 3 debut for him in equal measure.”