Fortec Motorsports has confirmed that rising Australian star James Wharton will join the team for both Silverstone GB3 Championship events this season.

The 17-year-old from Melbourne is a race-winner in the Italian F4, ADAC Formula 4 and Euro 4 Championships, and is the 2023 UAE F4 champion. 

He began karting at the age of eight, winning the Australian Championship three years later before moving to Europe to continue his progression. 

In 2020 he won the inaugural Ferrari Driver Academy World Final shootout and graduated to single-seaters in 2022, immediately taking victories in UAE F4 and ADAC F4. 

In addition to his UAE F4 title success the following year, Wharton won twice in Euro 4 as he finished as championship runner-up, and twice more in Italian F4 on his way to fourth in the final standings. 

Earlier this season, he participated in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, taking multiple podiums and finishing sixth overall, and is contesting the Formula Regional European Championship this year as his main programme.

However, he’ll make his first UK racing appearances in GB3 this season with Fortec, and will race at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 27/28 April, and again at the same venue on 27/28 July.