So James, if you just want to introduce yourself, what team you’re with and explain what you’re doing here in New Zealand. 

My name is James Wharton, I’m 19 years old, I’m racing with TJ Speed and HMD for the FROT 2026 season and then for my European season I’ll be primary in FIA F3.

Absolutely incredible. So this is your second year now racing an F3? How’s that kind of change between the F3 regulations and the cars, coming back to a regional competition? 

Yeah, for sure it’s a big step backwards I’d say, but I’ve done a lot in this car now. I’ve done the 2024 season in Europe, I’ve done the Middle East in 2024 as well and yeah, I’ve done quite a lot in this car so it’s been quite easy to come back to it. But at the same time, it’s always a big change because before Hampton Downs, my last race was Qatar F2, so it was a huge step backwards, but at the same time I’ve got back into it this weekend. Yeah, it took a little bit more time than what I wanted, but we’re back for this weekend. 

Like you were saying, you’ve done, I believe, four regional competitions so far. No longer eligible for that Rookie Cup, of course. You are still eligible for the Tasman Cup, though. I believe there’s six of you racing. Does that bring any kind of extra competitiveness out within you for those Australians and New Zealanders? 

I didn’t know there was a Tasman trophy. 

There is in fact a Tasman trophy. 

So that’s something I’ve learned today but I don’t think it will be in my hands because I’m actually not doing next weekend because I have an F3 test in Bahrain so… Yeah, I’m not sure if I’m in the running for it. 

So you’ve got a lot of these guys racing on the grid this year who raced with you in F3 last year. Of course, you’ve also got a lot of the grid who are also joining you in F3 this year. How important is a season like this to get to know your competitors? Not even just in this championship, but in the upcoming championships? 

Yeah, I feel like it’s quite easy, since I’ve raced these people for a very long time now. Someone like Ugo and Freddie Slater, I’ve raced my whole life. So, yeah, we’ve always been in the same categories, even if it’s not every year. Every second year we seem to end up together.

So a lot of you, of course. You’ve got people who are showing up next year, I believe, Yevan. Is it important to kind of get to know these guys as well who you’ve possibly never raced against before? 

Yeah, for sure. There’s always different ways of racing, different drivers. At the same time, you take every situation as different and every time you overtake, it’s a different overtake. It’s never the same one. So it’s hard to, let’s say, learn too much, but at the same time, you get to understand how they are.

With this sort of championship, I think you talked about how you might even get more track time here in New Zealand than you might over an F3 entire season. How really beneficial is that condensed calendar just for experience and your own learning styles?

Yeah, for sure. Last year I hadn’t done anything before the first race in Albert Park and I really struggled and took that into the rest of the weekend just on the back foot. So I felt like this was really needed to sharpen up for the season. But we do so many laps in New Zealand and I think it’s good for us as well. Especially for the new people that are going into F3 to get more laps in a faster car. I feel like for the rookies it’s more beneficial, but for us it’s just getting back in there.

Getting on the track, getting that time in on the track and of course going into that F3 season, what kind of things do you pick up from new race courses that you’ve never done before that somewhat translate back into race courses that of course you’ve been racing your whole life? 

Yeah, it definitely changes a lot. The tracks here are very different to European tracks and

you learn different things. I’ve never driven on a bumpier track than Hampton Downs. So yeah, that was good to learn that and understand tyre deg in Taupo, which we have in F3. And I felt yesterday showed the experienced drivers at the front just because of how much deg there is in this track. So yeah, New Zealand tracks are very different to what we race on normally, but it’s always good to have different experiences.

It’s absolutely great to hear drivers of your caliber and people from across the world talk about how great this championship series is. Lots of Formula One drivers have gone through the series, of course. Lando Norris, current world champion. Many of them have won it, in fact. Is that any sort of goal for you, win this championship and put yourself in that book of people? 

Yeah, as I said just before, it’s going to be hard to win the championship in three rounds, but yeah, I feel like it’s more just getting your name out there. Yesterday I did a really good job of that, coming from P3 to winning the race. In quite a tough race where there’s a lot about time management for race three, so yeah this championship is more for me just get my name out there as best I can but more just get ready for the F3 season which is the most important. 

Coming from a university group, we have got a lot of students interested in motorsports. Are there any words that you have about how much the hard work that you’ve kind of put in pays off in the long run, and all the work that you put into your own career? 

Yeah it’s a lot of sacrifices and I think that’s the thing that people don’t see. They don’t see any of it when you’re 13, 14 years old and you’re stuck at home by yourself cleaning your clothes, doing your own dinner. It is tough, but at the end of the day, I’m living a life not many people get to do and I appreciate that. I hope in a couple of years’ time I get benefit from those sacrifices and at the same time, I feel like if someone has a goal in mind, you need to just take those sacrifices and don’t worry about what other people are doing and focus on yourself. If other people are happy right now, maybe you’ll be a lot happier in years to come. 

Really great words from you James, thanks so much. We’ve got a final question that we love to ask people. We know superstitions can be a big part of motorsports, whether it’s getting in a car from a specific side, wearing a specific race suit all weekend. Are there any that you kind of find yourself falling into during a race weekend? 

Yeah, I have way too many. I can’t even tell you how many. Even just what glove I put on first changes, depending on how I’m feeling. So yeah, I have way too many and it’s not probably a good thing. 

Well, massive thank you to you. I know it’s going to be super beneficial to the students back home. And best of luck for the race weekend.