Season in the top team

Charlie Wurz wants to drive “for the championship”

Charlie Wurz

(Bild: GEPA)

Charlie Wurz and Emma Felbermayr are the most prominent Austrian entries in the Formula 1 support series in 2025. While 18-year-old Felbermayr is taking part in the F1 Academy for the first year, Wurz is entering his second Formula 3 season. After switching to the top team Trident, his objective is clear. "I want to be among the front runners to fight for the championship," said the 19-year-old offspring of Alexander Wurz. It all starts in Melbourne.

"It's really cool to have the Formula 3 season opener in Melbourne as part of Formula 1. A cool atmosphere and so many people, I'm really looking forward to it," Wurz told APA ahead of the first two races this weekend. On Saturday (01.15 CET) the sprint race is scheduled first, followed by the main race on Sunday (Saturday 23.00 CET). The Formula 3 racing calendar also includes stops in Bahrain, Imola, Monaco, Barcelona, Spielberg, Silverstone, Spa, Budapest and Monza.

Bortoleto used Trident as a springboard
The highlight of his first season was fifth place in Monaco. However, Wurz failed to score any other points with the Swiss racing team Jenzer and did not finish higher than 22nd in the overall standings. "Although the speed was good on some race weekends, the season was rather poor. Partly bad luck, partly mistakes, but I was still able to learn a lot," said Wurz. "Now it's important to build up my confidence again and work with the team to find a set-up that will allow me to compete at the front."

Founded in 2006, the Trident Motorsport racing team has high ambitions. In the past, current Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, ex-Formula 1 drivers Pastor Maldonado and Gianmaria Bruni and Austrians Andreas Zuber and Rene Binder have driven for the Italian outfit. Brazilian Bortoleto won the championship in his first and only Formula 3 year in 2023.

Trident is "a very good team in Formula 3, and they prepare very meticulously," said Wurz. "We hope we have a good handle on the new tires and the new car right away." His team-mates are the Dane Noah Strömsted and the Brazilian Rafael Camara. Strömsted is a Mercedes Junior, Camara is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy.