During the 2026 FIA Formula 3 (F3) Australian Round in Melbourne, with Pit Debrief in attendance, Ugo Ugochukwu reflected on the lessons he learned during his early years racing with PREMA Racing, as well as the pressures that come with qualifying and competing in one of the most competitive grids in junior single-seater racing.
Like many drivers on the FIA F3 grid in 2026, Ugochukwu spent part of his formative years in Formula 4 machinery with PREMA, a team widely regarded as one of the benchmark outfits in junior categories. Looking back on that period of his career, the American explained how important those early experiences were in shaping him as a driver.
“Yeah, I think a little bit like the others [Freddie Slater and Tuukka Taponen, also in attendance]. [It’s a] good learning curve, I’d say. Like always, in your first few years in single-seaters. I definitely learned a lot that season with them [PREMA]. It was a good year as well. I definitely learned some stuff that really helped me through the rest of my career.”
Pressures during his rookie season
Ugochukwu also discussed the pressure drivers face during qualifying sessions in F3, where the smallest mistake can completely change the outcome of a weekend due to how closely packed the field is.
After experiencing that first-hand during his 2025 rookie season, where small errors, penalties and missed opportunities cost him valuable podiums and stronger results despite showing impressive pace throughout the year, Ugochukwu explained just how fine the margins are in F3 qualifying.
“Yeah, obviously, it’s not easy trying to maximise every lap and especially the one at the end. A small mistake can be very costly”
Despite the pressure that comes with those final qualifying laps, the Campos Racing driver explained that confidence in both the car and preparation helps simplify the process once drivers head out on track.
“So I mean, there’s definitely a little bit of pressure for everyone, but a little bit like Tuukka [Taponen] said, I think when you know you’re in the right position, you know what you have to do, it becomes quite easy.
“You’re just kind of fine-tuning, picking point here or speed over there. And at the end, it’s not too bad. You’re just focussing on maximising what you have. You don’t really think of too many other stuff.”
Different factors affecting F3 weekends
With more than 30 F3 drivers often separated by only tenths of a second, especially in the increasingly competitive F3 field in 2026, managing traffic and finding clear track space remains another major challenge during weekends. However, Ugochukwu explained that despite the many variables around him, his approach remains focused on executing his own job as cleanly as possible.
“A little bit the same. Obviously, I think you still have to focus on yourself and maximise your job. But there are definitely a few other factors, trying to manage the traffic, get a good position before starting your lap, making sure not to impede anybody else while they’re on a lap. So yeah, you’re definitely full concentration the whole way. But yeah, at the end of the day, when you’re pushing on a quali lap, you’re just focussing on doing the best lap you can.”
