Nigerian-American racing driver Ugo Ugochukwu has won the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship, becoming the first driver from the United States to claim the title.
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The 19-year-old secured the championship after finishing second in the season’s final Feature Race at the Madring circuit in Madrid, Spain, on September 13. Ugochukwu ended the season with 159 points, 14 points ahead of Britain’s Freddie Slater, who finished second in the championship standings with 145 points.
Driving for Campos Racing, Ugochukwu entered the decisive race level on points with Slater after a dramatic final weekend of the season. Starting from second on the grid, he maintained a composed performance to finish on the podium, while Slater finished eighth, handing the championship to the Nigerian-American driver.
Tuukka Taponen of Finland won the final race, but Ugochukwu’s second-place finish was enough to seal the biggest title of his career.
Reacting after the race, Ugochukwu said winning the championship had been his major goal at the start of the season.
He said the final weekend required careful execution, adding that he and his team focused on avoiding mistakes and securing the points needed to win the title.
Ugochukwu’s victory capped a successful 2026 campaign in which he recorded consistent results throughout the season. His journey in single-seater racing began after a successful karting career, and he progressed through the British Formula 4, Italian Formula 4 and Euro 4 championships before moving into higher categories.
He won the Euro 4 Championship in 2023 and the Macau Grand Prix in 2024 before making his FIA Formula 3 debut with PREMA Racing in 2025. He joined Campos Racing for the 2026 season and went on to claim the F3 title in his second year in the championship.
Ugochukwu, who was born in New York and has Nigerian heritage, is also the son of Nigerian supermodel Oluchi Onweagba. His victory has drawn attention in Nigeria and the United States, where he is being celebrated for his historic achievement in motorsport.
The FIA Formula 3 Championship is one of the major development categories on the pathway to Formula 2 and Formula 1, with several past champions going on to compete at the highest level of motorsport. Ugochukwu’s title now marks a significant milestone in his career as he looks to take the next step in international racing.
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