Ugo Ugochukwu Makes History With 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship Win

Ugo Ugochukwu has won the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship, becoming the first American driver to claim the title in the current FIA Formula 3 Championship.

The 19-year-old secured the championship on Sunday, September 13, at the Madring circuit in Madrid. Driving for Campos Racing, Ugochukwu finished second in the second Feature Race behind MP Motorsport’s Tuukka Taponen. Freddie Slater, his main title rival, finished eighth for Trident.

Photo: Instagram/@fiaf3

The result put Ugochukwu on 159 points for the season, 14 points ahead of Slater, who finished second with 145. Taponen’s victory also moved him into third place in the final Drivers’ Championship standings with 109 points.

Ugochukwu’s title came in his second FIA Formula 3 season. He won the opening Feature Race in Melbourne, Australia, before taking another victory in the Silverstone Sprint Race. He also finished on the podium in Catalonia, at the Red Bull Ring, in Hungary and in Madrid.

Ugochukwu arrived in Madrid 15 points behind Slater. After the weekend’s earlier races, the pair were level on 141 points going into the final Feature Race. Ugochukwu started the race from second on the grid, while Slater started eighth. Ugochukwu held second to the finish, while Slater remained eighth, giving Ugochukwu enough points to take the championship.

Photo: Instagram/@fiaf3

Ugochukwu is the son of Nigerian fashion model Oluchi Onweagba. Born in New York, he moved from karting into single-seater racing in 2022, competing in British F4. He won the Euro 4 Championship in 2023 and the Macau Grand Prix in 2024.

He joined the FIA Formula 3 grid with PREMA Racing in 2025, finishing 16th in the championship and recording two podiums. He switched to Campos Racing for 2026 and began the year by winning the Formula Regional Oceania trophy.

He now joins former FIA Formula 3 champions including Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto, who have gone on to compete in Formula One.