Ugo Ugochukwu has won the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship, becoming the first American driver to claim the title after a dramatic final race of the season in Madrid, Spain.
The 19-year-old driver, who is the son of Nigerian fashion model Oluchi Onweagba and Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi, secured the championship on Sunday, September 13, after finishing second in the season-ending race at the new Madring circuit.
Ugochukwu and British driver Freddie Slater entered the final race level on 141 points, leaving everything to play for. Starting from second on the grid, Ugochukwu held his position through the race and crossed the finish line second.
Slater finished eighth, leaving Ugochukwu with 159 points at the end of the season, 14 points ahead of his closest rival.
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Ugochukwu Seals Historic F3 Championship
The result marked Ugochukwu’s first championship title in the Formula racing circuit and made him the first driver representing the United States to win the FIA Formula 3 championship.
His title also delivered a historic achievement for Campos Racing, which secured its first-ever F3 Teams’ Championship with 334 points.
Ugochukwu’s 2026 campaign was built on consistency as much as race victories. He recorded two wins and seven podium finishes across the season, including a victory in the opening race in Melbourne.
Speaking after the finale, Ugochukwu credited his development throughout the season and the work done with his team.
“To win the championship is a testament to the consistency and the job we have done throughout the year”, he said.
He also celebrated Campos Racing’s success, describing the outcome as a “pretty much perfect season” after the team secured both the drivers’ and teams’ championships.
The achievement comes after a significant turnaround from his first F3 campaign. Ugochukwu finished 16th in the 2025 drivers’ standings with PREMA Racing, despite collecting two podium finishes.
From Karting to the Top of Formula 3
Nigerian-American racing driver Ugo Ugochukwu has clinched the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship after finishing second in the season finale in Madrid. The 19-year-old finished the season with 159 points, ahead of Freddie Slater’s 145, making history as the first American driver to win the F3 title.
Ugochukwu began racing at just six years old, entering karting in 2013 and building an impressive record across European junior competitions.
He won multiple karting titles, including the CIK-FIA European Championship in the OKJ category, before making the move into single-seater racing.
In 2022, he made his British F4 debut and finished third overall. The following year, he moved into Italian F4, finishing second in the championship while also winning the Euro 4 title and placing third in the UAE F4 Championship.
His progress continued through the Formula Regional and GB3 championships in 2024. He finished seventh in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and 11th in the European Championship, while placing 13th in GB3.
He ended that season with one of the biggest results of his young career, winning the Macau Grand Prix. That victory made him the first American driver in 43 years to win the prestigious race.
He subsequently stepped up to FIA Formula 3 in 2025 before returning for a stronger second season in 2026.
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A New Milestone for a Driver of Nigerian Heritage
Although Ugochukwu races under the United States flag, he has Nigerian heritage through his mother, Oluchi Onweagba, who won the inaugural Face of Africa modelling competition in 1998.
Born and raised in New York City, Ugochukwu has developed his racing career through the American and European motorsport systems while carrying a multicultural family background.
His latest achievement adds his name to the growing list of young talents with Nigerian roots making an impact on international sporting stages.
At 19, Ugochukwu has already collected multiple junior racing titles, won the Macau Grand Prix and now claimed the FIA Formula 3 championship.
With Formula 3 serving as an important step in the development pathway towards Formula 1, his championship success could open the door to the next stage of his motorsport career.
For now, Ugochukwu can celebrate a season in which he transformed a difficult first F3 campaign into a championship-winning year.
Ugo Ugochukwu’s journey shows how talent, consistency and experience can turn setbacks into major breakthroughs. Follow RefinedNG for more stories celebrating African talent and achievement on the global stage.