Vallelunga, ITALY - The Vallelunga weekend proved to be a tough challenge for James Wharton. Despite facing difficulties with pace and racecraft from the very beginning of free practice, James adapted his driving style to the demanding Vallelunga circuit.
In Race 1, James started in ninth position and immediately moved up to fifth at the start, making daring overtakes. Despite this strong initial sprint, the pace was not enough to match the leaders’. However, gaining four positions at the start was an impressive feat. Race 1 did not see much development due to the nature of the circuit, which doesn't offer many overtaking opportunities. Nevertheless, it was a result worth keeping.
Race 2 was more complex than Race 1 because of a red flag interruption. James started from P10 and ended Race 2 in P7, also aided by the Safety Car restart, but overall with a more competitive pace than before.
Race 3 was not only the conclusion of the Vallelunga weekend but also of the 2023 Italian F4 Championship. James Wharton closed the season in fourth place on track, just shy of the podium, securing fourth place in the driver standings as well. Overall, the race results were commendable, especially considering the challenges James faced at the beginning of the weekend. A solid, yet not entirely satisfying, weekend.
With the Italian championship now behind, James will get back on track already next week at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona, for the third and final round of the 2023 Euro 4 Championship.