Ugo Ugochukwu Wins Opening Race
Ugo Ugochukwu won the opening race of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship season in Melbourne, marking a strong start to his campaign. Racing for Campos Racing, Ugochukwu began the race from second position on the grid.
At the start, he briefly dropped to third place but quickly regained his composure. Ugochukwu managed to overtake his teammate, Théophile Naël, at Turn 9, reclaiming the lead. At one point during the race, he maintained a lead of nearly seven seconds, demonstrating his control and skill on the track.
Ugochukwu crossed the finish line to secure the top spot on the podium, solidifying his position as a strong contender in the championship. With this victory, he leads the Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship standings with 25 points, ahead of competitors Freddie Slater and Bruno del Pino, who are tied for second place with 18 points each.
Born in New York City in 2007, Ugochukwu is the son of Nigerian supermodel Oluchi Onweagba and Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi. He first gained attention in karting, where he won several major international titles, showcasing his potential from a young age.
Prior to this race, Ugochukwu won the 2026 Formula Regional Oceania Championship in New Zealand in February, further establishing his credentials as a rising star in motorsport.
Reflecting on his performance, Ugochukwu stated, “Overall, it was a good race. It was a bit tight going into the first corner, so I lost ground and dropped back to third, but I thought the pace at the start was really good.” He also noted, “In summary, it’s truly been a perfect start to the season. From Friday onwards, I felt very good on this circuit, and we managed to have an incident-free weekend and execute everything optimally.”
As the season progresses, Ugochukwu emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum, saying, “The season is still long. We’ve had a good start, but we need to keep up our momentum and get good results.” He also acknowledged the challenges of tire management during races, stating, “I’m just trying to manage the tire as best I can. But sometimes, with graining, you can lose a lot of time per lap, and then it eventually comes back.”
The next event is scheduled to take place in Bahrain from April 10th to 12th, where Ugochukwu will look to continue his strong performance. Details remain unconfirmed.