Nigerian-American driver Ugo Ugochukwu claimed the 2026 FIA Formula 3 title on Sunday, becoming the first US driver to win the championship after a dramatic comeback in the season finale at Madrid’s Madring circuit.
The 19-year-old Campos Racing driver finished second in the final race to secure the crown by 14 points over British rival Freddie Slater.
Ugochukwu arrived in Madrid 15 points behind Slater but erased the deficit over the three-race weekend. After collecting points in Saturday’s sprint and first feature races while Slater scored none, the pair entered Sunday’s decider level on 141 points.
Starting from second on the grid, Ugochukwu maintained his position to the finish as Slater ended eighth.
“They can’t say anything now, we’ve won everything,” Ugochukwu declared over team radio after the race.
“We knew we just had to keep it clean to clinch the title, and that’s what we did. No mistakes, brought it home and super pleased,” he said afterwards.
Born in New York to a Nigerian mother and Italian father, Ugochukwu began karting at age six and has previously won the FIA OK-Junior European Championship, the inaugural Euro 4 title and the 2024 Macau Grand Prix
– “I’m Proud of My Nigerian Root” –
Speaking to SuperSport after securing the title, Ugochukwu, whose mother is Nigerian fashion model Oluchi Onweagba, said he was proud to represent his Nigerian heritage.
“It’s amazing, and I’m super proud of my Nigerian roots on my mum’s side. Every time I can get to the podium and get my name out there for anyone watching and supporting in Africa, it means a lot.
“Hopefully, I can be a role model to all the kids who like to have this dream as well,” he said.
The championship capped a remarkable second season in FIA Formula 3 for Ugochukwu, who recorded seven podium finishes, including two victories.
Ugochukwu joined McLaren’s driver development programme and made his FIA Formula 3 debut with PREMA Racing in 2025.
He made his British F4 debut in 2022 and finished third overall before moving to Italian F4 in 2023, where he finished second.
That same year, he won the Euro 4 title and finished third in the UAE F4 Championship.
He finished 16th in his rookie campaign after securing two podium finishes, before making significant progress in his second season.
In 2024, Ugochukwu competed in the Formula Regional Middle East and European championships before ending the year on a high with a Macau Grand Prix win.
Ugochukwu is the son of Onweagba and her Italian husband, Luca Orlandi. His mother won the M-Net Face of Africa modelling contest in 1998.
