Ugochukwu secured his first victory in the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Feature Race, held in Melbourne. The race concluded behind a safety car due to a late incident involving Michael Shin. Ugochukwu, driving for Campos Racing, maintained a lead of over seven seconds before the safety car was deployed three laps before the finish.
Race Highlights
- Event: 2026 FIA Formula 3 Feature Race
- Date: 2026
- Location: Melbourne
- Winner: Ugo Ugochukwu (Campos Racing)
- Runner-up: Freddie Slater (Trident)
- Third Place: Taito Kato (ART Grand Prix)
Initially, Ugochukwu dropped back from his second position at the start. However, he regained momentum once the Drag Reduction System became available. He quickly took second before overtaking Theophile Nael, who started on pole, to seize the lead on lap four.
Incidents and Safety Cars
The first safety car was triggered when Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi veered off at Turn 12. After a brief race resumption on lap 12, the second safety car intervened due to a collision between Brando Badoer and Matteo de Palo. While de Palo spun but was able to continue, Michael Shin lost control and hit the barriers, halting the race.
Due to the incident and following penalties, the original leaders’ positions changed significantly. Nael, despite initially finishing third, dropped to twelfth after a five-second penalty for a false start. Additionally, Noah Stromsted and Nicola Lacorte also faced penalties for earlier infractions.
Final Standings
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ugo Ugochukwu | Campos Racing | 42m 59.653s |
| 2 | Freddie Slater | Trident | +0.693s |
| 3 | Taito Kato | ART Grand Prix | +2.272s |
| 4 | Bruno del Pino | Van Amersfoort Racing | +2.716s |
| 5 | Maciej Gładysz | ART Grand Prix | +3.253s |
| 6 | Enzo Deligny | Van Amersfoort Racing | +3.576s |
| 7 | Brad Benavides | AIX Racing | +4.716s |
| 8 | Pedro Clerot | Rodin Motorsport | +4.963s |
| 9 | Jin Nakamaura | Hitech GP | +5.346s |
| 10 | Mattia Colnaghi | MP Motorsport | +5.784s |
Ugochukwu’s victory places him at the top of the championship standings with 25 points. Following closely are Bruno del Pino and Freddie Slater, both with 18 points, and Taito Kato with 16 points. This race underlines Ugochukwu’s promising start to the season as he aims for further success in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
