Wharton excelled at the seventh round of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, held at the iconic Imola circuit. Despite struggling to find optimal race pace, Wharton showcased his skills, securing podium finishes in both Race 1 and Race 2.
Driving Prema’s #13 car, Wharton showed early speed during Friday’s Collective Tests, feeling confident with the car after a long summer break. This momentum carried into Saturday's qualifying session, where he secured a respectable fourth position on the grid. In Race 1 later that day, a strong start saw him claim his first podium of the weekend.
Sunday presented more challenging conditions, with cooler temperatures and limited grip affecting the morning’s qualifying session. Wharton qualified seventh on the grid for Race 2. As the race began under intermittent rain, his tactical approach became evident. A first-lap collision at the Variante Tamburello between Tuukka Taponen and Brazilian driver Rafael Camara allowed Wharton to gain two positions before the Safety Car was deployed.
Throughout the race, Wharton demonstrated strategic precision, carefully analyzing his rivals and identifying the best overtaking opportunities. His measured approach paid off, as he secured another third-place finish, adding to his podium tally for the weekend.
With this result, Wharton collected 30 points—a significant boost in the championship standings. He now sits in fifth place with 121 points, reinforcing his top-five position as the season progresses.
"Overall, this weekend we were not quite on pace, so coming away with two podiums is something to be really happy about. This was probably one of the weekends where we didn’t have the pace we showed earlier in the season. To achieve our best results of the year is satisfying. Now, with nearly five podiums in the championship, we just need to keep pushing, find more pace for the Red Bull Ring, and hopefully secure more wins as the season continues".
Wharton’s double podium at Imola highlights his growing confidence and ability to perform under diverse conditions as he continues his FRECA campaign. James will be back on track this weekend at the Red Bull Ring for the eighth round of the Formula Regional Championship, from September 13th to 15th.