Wharton and Sharp Secure Double Points Finish for Prema in Hungary

Prema Racing drivers James Wharton and Louis Sharp salvaged a double points finish from a difficult qualifying session at the Hungaroring, securing top-eight results in both the sprint and feature races. Post-race penalties applied to Theophile Nael ultimately promoted the pair to seventh and eighth in Sunday's final classification, providing a timely confidence boost ahead of the summer break.

Why it matters:

The weekend offered a welcome recovery for Prema after a challenging round at Spa-Francorchamps, proving the team's race pace remains competitive even when qualifying goes wrong. With only two rounds left in the season and Prema sitting seventh in the teams' standings, maximizing results from the midfield has become essential for their championship position.

The details:

• Friday frustration: Wharton lined up 15th, just 0.394 seconds off pole, while Sharp started 19th after a power issue robbed him of his opening qualifying run and any chance to refine his setup. The session was incredibly tight, with 22 drivers covered by less than six tenths.
• Sprint progress: Wharton gained seven places to take eighth in Saturday's race, navigating an early Safety Car caused by a first-lap collision. Sharp also moved forward, climbing from 19th to 12th.
• Sunday charge: Sharp was particularly aggressive in the feature race, making multiple overtakes from the tenth row to break into the points. Both drivers managed tyre degradation through several Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car periods.
• Team result: The post-race penalties for Nael elevated Wharton to seventh and Sharp to eighth, while teammate Jose Garfias secured 11th, giving Prema three cars in the top eleven.

What's next:

The F3 championship pauses for its summer break before gathering for a two-day test in Madrid on August 24-25. The season finale begins at Monza from September 4-6, where Wharton and Sharp will aim to translate their Hungaroring fightback into a strong closing stretch.