Campos Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu secured victory in a dramatic FIA F3 Feature Race at the 2026 Australian GP, overcoming multiple Safety Cars, penalties, and incidents throughout the field. The race featured early chaos, intense midfield battles, and several steward investigations, while a series of time penalties reshaped the final classification. With PREMA Racing forced to withdraw both James Wharton and Louis Sharp following their Sprint Race collision, the grid was reduced to 28 drivers. Ultimately, Ugochukwu controlled the race from the front after seizing the lead from teammate Théophile Naël, while Freddie Slater finished second. A late Safety Car ensured the race ended under neutralised conditions, with Taito Kato inheriting the final podium position after penalties for several drivers ahead.
PREMA withdrawals reshape the F3 Feature Race grid at the 2026 Australian GP
Ahead of the race start, PREMA Racing announced that both James Wharton and Louis Sharp had withdrawn from the F3 Feature Race. The two drivers had collided heavily during Saturday’s Sprint Race, which caused significant damage to their cars.
The crash also inflicted substantial damage on the trackside barriers. As a result, officials red-flagged the Sprint Race after only eight laps and did not resume the session. Consequently, organisers delayed the subsequent Formula 1 Free Practice 3 session by 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, the stewards deemed Sharp wholly responsible for the incident. They therefore imposed a 10-second time penalty, which dropped him to 16th in the final classification. In addition, they issued him two penalty points, making him the first driver of the season to receive such a penalty.
Following medical advice, PREMA Racing then withdrew both drivers from the remainder of the weekend’s activities. Despite the setback, the team confirmed that both drivers remained in good spirits and expected to return to the cockpit for the next round.
With both Wharton and Sharp absent, the grid for the F3 Feature Race at the 2026 Australian GP was reduced to 28 drivers. As a result, pole-sitter Théophile Naël lined up alongside his Campos Racing team-mate Ugo Ugochukwu on the front row.
Early chaos as the race begins
The formation lap began chaotically when DAMS Lucas Oil’s Nicola Lacorte moved slowly off the line. Although he managed to continue, the delay briefly disrupted the grid behind him.
Nevertheless, the remainder of the formation lap unfolded without incident. All 28 drivers soon lined up in their respective grid boxes to await lights out. However, with only eight racing laps completed across the weekend so far, considerable uncertainty still surrounded the 23-lap race ahead.
As the lights went out, Freddie Slater, who had started from P3, surged forward and immediately challenged the Campos duo for the lead. Although Naël held the lead through the first corner, Ugochukwu could not maintain second place and fell to P4, where ART Grand Prix’s Maciej Gładysz quickly applied pressure.
⚫️ LIGHTS OUT IN MELBOURNE ⚫️
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) March 7, 2026
NAEL HOLDS THE LEAD AS SLATER MOVES PAST UGOCHUKWU INTO P2!! ????#F3 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/HrbxhQvv74
Across the grid, drivers battled for position. Meanwhile, PREMA Racing’s difficult weekend worsened when their only remaining driver, Jose Garfias, suffered a puncture on the opening lap. The issue forced him to pit immediately.
Sprint Race winner Bruno del Pino of Van Amersfoort Racing and ART Grand Prix’s Kanato Le also entered the pit lane during the opening lap. At the front, Ugochukwu soon recovered momentum and overtook Slater to reclaim P2. Slater, who had enjoyed the strongest launch off the line, soon fell outside DRS range, while Gładysz and Lacorte threatened his hold on the final podium position.
Ugochukwu takes the lead as midfield battles intensify
On Lap 4, Ugochukwu seized the lead from Naël and immediately used DRS to pull clear. Meanwhile, Rodin Motorsport’s Brando Badoer produced an impressive move after starting ninth. He surged past Lacorte to claim P5.
At the same time, Kanato Le retired from the race following an unidentified incident.
Further back, AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides continued a strong recovery drive. After qualifying P20 and starting P18 following penalties, he climbed to P15. Elsewhere, Trident’s Noah Strømsted overtook Badoer to take P9.
Meanwhile, MP Motorsport’s Mattia Colnaghi and DAMS Lucas Oil’s Taito Kato battled for P7. Kato eventually secured the position, while Strømsted then passed Colnaghi to claim P8 and pushed the Italian-Argentine driver down to P9. Although Colnaghi locked up at Turn 13, he held the position despite increasing pressure from del Pino in P10.
Collisions and Safety Car intervention mar the F3 Feature Race at the 2026 Australian GP
On Lap 7, Strømsted passed Kato for P7, which immediately placed Kato under pressure from Colnaghi, who also defended against del Pino. Although both drivers kept the battle clean, the same did not apply further up the order.
Lacorte and Badoer collided, which caused Badoer to spin. The Rodin driver dropped to P12 but continued his race.
DAMS Lucas Oil’s Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi suffered a heavier incident. On the exit of Turn 12, he lost control of his car and crashed into the barriers. The crash brought out the Safety Car on Lap 10 and compressed the field.
???? SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED ????
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) March 7, 2026
Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi is off at Turn 12.#F3 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/zcgAcFmgq7
Restart drama and DRS battles
The Safety Car returned to the pit lane on Lap 11. Ugochukwu controlled the restart across the line at the start of Lap 12. Although he accelerated early, Naël and Slater remained within striking distance.
However, Gładysz struggled during the restart. He fell away from the leading trio and immediately came under pressure from Lacorte in P5. Gładysz defended aggressively as Lacorte attempted several overtakes.
The pressure increased further on Lap 13 when officials enabled DRS. Lacorte immediately used the advantage and swept around the outside to claim P4. Meanwhile, del Pino overtook Colnaghi to move into P8. Elsewhere, Rodin Motorsport’s Pedro Clerot challenged Benavides for P14.
Penalties and contact shake up the order
At the start of Lap 14, Race Control noted both Lacorte and Naël for potential false starts. At the same time, MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti ran wide and dropped several positions.
Benavides continued his charge through the field and overtook Hitech’s Jin Nakamura to take P11. Meanwhile, Garfias also ran wide and remained out of contention at the rear of the grid.
On Lap 16, Lacorte forced his way past Slater to claim P3. Shortly afterwards, the stewards issued Naël a five-second time penalty for a false start.
Slater then came under pressure from Gładysz for the final podium position. A lock-up, however, cost Gładysz the position and dropped him to P6.
Race Control later showed Giusti the black-and-white flag for repeated track-limits violations. Meanwhile, an incident between Lacorte and Strømsted caused further disruption. Lacorte lost a front-wing endplate and dropped down the order, while the stewards also issued him a five-second penalty for a false start.
The developments restored Slater to P3 and promoted Strømsted to P4. Race Control noted the incident, while Trident instructed its drivers over the radio to show “maximum respect” between teammates.
Further back, Benavides defended P10 from Nakamura as he aimed to capitalise on Lacorte’s penalty.
Late Safety Car decides the F3 Feature Race at the 2026 Australian GP
At the front, Slater overtook Naël to claim P2 and left the French driver under pressure from Strømsted. Although Strømsted looked capable of challenging for the final podium place, another incident halted his progress.
Hitech’s Woo-hyun “Michael” Shin collided with Trident’s Matteo De Palo, which left Shin stranded against the barriers. Race Control deployed the Safety Car, neutralising the race once again.
???? SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED ????
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) March 7, 2026
Woohyun Shin hits the wall at Turn 5 and comes to a stops on track.#F3 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/e8v7zkyhDY
The Safety Car period extended into Lap 22. During this time, the stewards issued Strømsted a 10-second time penalty for causing his earlier collision with Lacorte.
Because both Naël and Strømsted carried time penalties and the race finished under Safety Car conditions, the final classification changed significantly.
Final results reshaped by penalties
Ugochukwu crossed the line to claim the first Feature Race victory of the season and his first win in Formula 3 machinery. Freddie Slater secured second place, while Taito Kato inherited the final podium position after the penalties ahead reshuffled the order.
Bruno del Pino set the fastest lap of the race with a 1:37.336 on Lap 5 and finished fourth overall. Maciej Gładysz followed in fifth place.
Brad Benavides completed an impressive recovery drive. After qualifying P20 and starting P18, he climbed to seventh place, finishing behind Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Deligny. Pedro Clerot finished eighth, Jin Nakamura secured ninth, and Mattia Colnaghi completed the top ten.
