Despite not starting his F3 campaign at the beginning of the 2025 season, James Hedley did everything to make sure he left an impression. The British driver competed in 7 out of the 10 rounds, excluding Melbourne, Bahrain and Barcelona. Additionally, he drove in the Monaco GP Sprint Race before a hand injury rendered him unable to take part in the Feature Race.
However, the Briton did not start out his season with Van Amersfoort, but with AIX Racing. James Hedley parted ways with AIX before the finale of F3, ahead of the Monza GP. His experience with AIX Racing earned him a second chance, and VAR made it happen.
While he finished his first full season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship in P28, Hedley did earn a total of 7 points from the Sprint Race at the Hungarian Round. Nevertheless, some unfortunate moments and disqualifications hindered his performance.
Replacing Sagrera at Imola
Ahead of the 2025 F3 Imola Round, AIX Racing put out a statement announcing James Hedley’s promotion for the current season. The Briton replaced Javier Sagrera in their F3 driver line-up. However, this was not Hedley’s first time at the wheel of an F3 car. James Hedley competed once before, in 2024, at the Monte Carlo Round after he replaced Matías Zagazeta.
While his first outing in Formula 3 ended up disappointing, the 22-year-old’s luck turned around when he was asked to join AIX. Yet, the Formula 3 Imola round rendered him grappling to show off his skills. Despite qualifying P23, Hedley showed improvement in the Sprint, finishing P18. His Feature Race saw him drop back again. He managed to keep his cool racing a very competitive grid, which is commendable.
Mid-season set-back
While every driver was slowly approaching the mid-season mark, James Hedley’s return to the F3 grid in 2025 was plagued with disappointment. Even with his comeback to Monaco, Hedley struggled during Qualifying yet again. He finished P15 in his group, which placed him at the back of the grid for both races. His race weekend met an early end as the Briton was involved in a multiple-car collision on Lap 1.
Hedley suffered a hand injury in the accident, which prevented him from competing in the Feature Race at Monte Carlo. This forced him to take time away from racing to recover. Despite his steady progress at Imola, James Hedley’s F3 campaign took a turn for the worse. As a result, the Briton did not compete in the Barcelona Round.
Fighting to regain momentum
James Hedley, now recovered from the hand injury, returned to F3 for the 2025 Austrian Round. It goes without saying that coming back after a sporting accident can bring some mental challenges. Nevertheless, the AIX Racing driver was determined to leave this behind as he prepared to rejoin the F3 grid.
Unfortunately for Hedley, his qualifying issues persisted at the Red Bull Ring, where he finished P27. His attempt at a strong result fell flat as an incident during the Sprint Race earned him his first disqualification. Given that he crossed the finish line in P20, this DSQ did not damage his points tally. However, his push for a stronger result showed perseverance despite the circumstances.
The British Round did not bring any new improvements to his standings. At Silverstone, James Hedley could not find the pace during Qualifying, earning himself a P30 start. While he fought hard during the Sprint, it was not enough to bring home points. The Feature Race was even more unlucky, with Hedley finishing P28.
Slight developments at Spa
During the Belgian Round, James Hedley managed to regain some important positions. While the 22-year-old still showed signs of trouble during Qualifying, his Sprint Race had him overtake for positions. Despite it not being enough to put him in the point-earning spots, Hedley’s efforts in improving his F3 2025 season were noticeable.
As the Feature Race at Spa was cancelled due to heavy and persistent rain, the Briton lost the chance to advance further. Nonetheless, this recovery helped Hedley regain some momentum, which he took with him to Hungary.
The Hungaroring success
The Hungarian Round already started off better for James Hedley. The AIX Racing driver overcame his streak of misfortune during Qualifying, which secured him a spot in P11. The Sprint Race saw him start from the front line, thanks to the reverse-grid structure. This marked Hedley’s best race start in his 2025 F3 season.
His start was great, and the Briton kept close to Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak in first. Yet, the race was tough with pressure from behind, and a mistake cost Hedley P2 too early. However, while the AIX driver finished the Sprint just outside of the podium, his driving set him apart. The mistake was an unfortunate consequence of his lack of experience at high stakes.
Joining forces with Van Amersfoort Racing
Amidst difficulties adapting at AIX Racing, Hedley was presented with an opportunity to showcase his skills at a new team, replacing Santiago Ramos at Van Amersfoort Racing for the season finale at Monza.
Clearly, switching from one team to another is no easy feat. And with basically no time to adjust, the Briton had not only to drive, but to perform. Qualifying was split into two groups again, and Hedley finished P12 in Group A. While that did not earn him the best starting position, the now VAR driver rose to the challenge.
The pattern continued, with Hedley’s Sprint Race going well, but doomed from the beginning due to the harsh, back-of-the-grid starting position. Nevertheless, he raced with something to prove and the desire for a permanent seat with Van Amersfoort. His Feature Race went splendidly, with James Hedley managing to outperform both of his new teammates, finishing P17.
Career prospects for 2026
Hedley’s grand finale for the F3 2025 season did not necessarily pan out in the way he expected. Yet, he remains a strong contender with a lot of potential. The experience at the wheel of a Van Amersfoort Formula 3 car, a team that finished 2025 fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, harnessed his skills. As of time of writing, the Briton is without a team for the 2026 season.
After facing a tumultuous season, disappointing and fulfilling at times, James Hedley managed to recover and even earned himself some points. The 22-year-old did not have the privilege of racing a full season in Formula 3. However, he looked eager to adapt and learn, putting in effort at every step of his campaign.
