Mugello is one of Italy's legendary circuits, set in the lush greenery of Tuscany, and is regularly used for testing by the Ferrari Formula 1 team. Mugello is also one of the circuits chosen for the 2023 Italian F4 Championship (the event will take place from 29th September to 1st October), so James Wharton was keen to perform well there. His goal was achieved, with a steady progression that culminated in victory for the Ferrari Driver Academy driver.

"It's true that I started the meeting with a performance deficit compared to my main rivals," admitted James. "I constantly tried to analyse the areas where I could improve and where my car could be more competitive by working on the set-up, taking into account the high ambient temperature and the grip of the track."

Two podiums including one win

4th in the first Qualifying session, two tenths off pole position, the Australian managed to close to within a tenth of the fastest driver in the second session, this time moving up to 3rd position. But above all, by putting in three excellent laps, he won his place on pole for Race 3.

On Saturday, the temperature rose a few more degrees, with the tarmac heated to 55° by the sun! In these conditions, his pace didn't prove satisfactory, especially in the second half of the race, forcing him to give way to two rivals and finish in P6.

His car was much more consistent on Sunday in Race 2, and the All Road Management driver took advantage of this to take 3rd place on the podium. "The fight at the start was very intense, as was the restart after the period spent behind the safety car, but I managed to handle these two important moments well. One of my team-mates put me under pressure right up to the finish, but I was able to hold on to my 3rd place on the starting grid."

James Wharton produced the same flawless performance in Race 3, this time starting first and holding the lead from the first to the last lap! "My start and management of the first lap were perfect, which enabled me to open up the gap quickly. I continued to drive as fast as I could while managing tyre wear. It was important to win again, before setting off again to tackle the Italian F4 Championship, with a round scheduled for July 21st-23rd in France at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet," concluded the Motorsport Australia-backed driver.

About James Wharton

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

A two-time winner of the prestigious SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas in Junior, he was involved in FIA Karting competitions from 2018 to 2021, where he has learnt a lot from great teams like RFM and Parolin Motorsport. Numerous podiums have been achieved, culminating in a brilliant 5th position in the KZ2 International Super Cup, a de facto World Cup for the category.

Winner in his second F4 meeting in Dubai, James Wharton 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 impressive consistency: 20 top five finishes including eight podiums.

At the beginning of 2023, the Australian won the UAE Formula 4 Championship brilliantly with the Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited team. His goal is to take more victories this season in the Italian F4 Championship with the Prema Racing team.