JAMES WHARTON STEPS UP TO FORMULA 2 WITH TRIDENT FOR 2027
James Wharton will step up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2027 after signing with Trident Motorsport. The Australian driver will make his first full-time F2 campaign after spending the last two seasons competing in Formula 3.
Wharton has taken two victories and four podium finishes during his two seasons in FIA Formula 3. In 2026, racing with Prema, he won the Barcelona Sprint Race and finished on the podium again at the final round in Madrid. He ended the 2026 championship in 17th place with 39 points.
His first F3 victory came in 2025, when he won the Sprint Race at the Red Bull Ring. He therefore finished both of his full F3 seasons with at least one race victory.
Before reaching Formula 3, Wharton built his career through the junior single-seater categories. He won the 2023 Formula 4 UAE Championship and finished second in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship, where he scored four victories, four pole positions and 10 podiums.
The 20-year-old already has experience of Formula 2 machinery with Trident. He made his F2 debut at Lusail in Qatar in 2025 after being called up at short notice for the penultimate round of the season. He qualified 21st, retired from the Sprint Race after contact and finished 19th in the Feature Race.
Although the results were difficult, Wharton said the weekend gave him valuable experience of the F2 car, including his first qualifying session, pit stop and longer race. He also said the experience helped him understand the difference between F3 and F2, especially the higher speeds, heavier car and increased tyre management.
Wharton’s return to Trident will therefore reunite the Australian with a team he already knows. Trident Team Manager Giacomo Ricci said the team had continued to follow Wharton’s development since his F2 debut and highlighted his speed, talent and determination.
For Trident, Wharton’s signing confirms the first driver for its 2027 F2 line-up. The Italian team will now prepare for the Australian’s rookie season, with the goal of giving him the necessary preparation before he enters a full F2 campaign.
The move also gives Wharton a chance to continue his progression through the FIA single-seater ladder. After Formula 4, Formula Regional and two seasons in Formula 3, he will now compete in Formula 2, the final major step before Formula 1. His first full F2 season will begin in 2027 with Trident.
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