James Wharton can be satisfied with his performance throughout the five races of the UAE F4 Championship. The Motorsport Australia-backed driver has been fast, consistent and determined throughout. After taking the championship lead in Dubai, James arrived in Abu Dhabi very focused and managed to make a difference in both Qualifying sessions. The fastest times set on this occasion were one of the keys to this very important meeting.

A first F4 title that calls for more

"As soon as I arrived in Abu Dhabi, I focused on the search for performance with the Mumbai Falcons Racing team, without worrying about my position as championship leader," explained the Australian. "I expected the gaps to be close and they were. In the end, the excellent lap times I set secured me pole position for Races 1 and 3. The small thousandth difference with one of my rivals in the second session showed that you always have to give it your best shot at every corner!"

Leading from start to finish and masterful in managing the appearances of the safety car, James Wharton brilliantly won Race 1 on Saturday morning and therefore increased his lead in the Championship. Above all, he set the fastest lap in the race, which meant a pole position start for Race 2. Here again, the All Road Management driver made a clean sweep from the first to the last lap to take his fourth victory of the season and bring his number of podiums to 11!

The next day, Race 3 did not go as planned. "I got off to a good start, but my rivals quickly tried to put me under pressure. In the first corner, one tried to pass on the inside and my team-mate attacked me from the outside. We came into the series of corners side by side and unfortunately it ended in a collision, which was definitely not what I was hoping for as I knew that I only needed to finish this race in the leading group to confirm my position in the championship. Fortunately I collected enough points over the five meetings to become UAE F4 Champion. Looking at the season as a whole, I think it's a deserved title, I fought for the win or the podium at every event."

"Since the beginning of my career I have already managed to win a lot of races, both in karting and in single-seaters. But being crowned in this championship means a lot to me. And Mumbaï Falcons Racing winning the team title is great! I really want to thank the whole team, all the people who support me and my family. This is another important moment in my career and I will now focus on my second goal for 2023: the Italian F4 Championship," concluded the FDA driver.

About James Wharton

James Wharton is a 16-year-old Australian racing driver, who is competing in his second international season in Formula 4 in 2023. Currently supported by the Ferrari Driver Academy, All Road Management and Motorsport Australia, James began karting in his native Australia at the age of seven. He has gone on to shine in some of the world's most important single-brand challenges.

A two-time winner of the prestigious SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas in Junior, he went on to shine in FIA Karting competitions from 2018 to 2021, where he learned a great deal from top teams like RFM and Parolin Motorsport. Numerous podiums were achieved, culminating in a brilliant 5th position in the KZ2 International Super Cup, a de facto World Cup for the category.

James Wharton won his second F4 meeting in Dubai and finished 5th in the UAE Championship with a total of four wins, three pole positions and four fastest laps. During the 2022 season, the Australian followed up with two more 5th places in the Italian and German F4 Championships, with an impressive consistency: 20 top five finishes including eight podiums.

In 2023, the Australian will compete in his second F4 season with the Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited team.