PREMA Racing is set for the start of a new and exciting Formula 4 season. The team will line up for the opening round of the Italian F4 Championship this weekend at Imola, fielding a line-up of seven cars.
Aiming to add a new chapter to an incredibly successful history, PREMA will rely on a field of highly-competitive drivers with a mix of rookie power and experience. Coming from his championship-winning run in the F4 UAE Championship, James Wharton is set for his second season in the series. The 16-year-old Australian will represent the Ferrari Driver Academy together with teammate Tuukka Taponen. A 16-year-old Finn, Taponen is lining up for his rookie season, coming from a successful karting career. He quickly impressed, coming second in the UAE series earlier in the year.
Having made his debut last year in selected events, American driver Ugo Ugochukwu is set for his first full season with the team. The 15-year-old has already achieved success in F4 racing and is looking forward to more wins in 2023. He is supported by the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
Red Bull Junior racer Arvid Lindblad joined PREMA to enter his second season in the Italian Championship. A 15-year-old from the UK, he showed great promise in early testing.
Aurelia Nobels will debut in a single-seater competition. Hailing from Brazil, the 16-year-old is a Ferrari Driver Academy member and an Iron Dame. She will make the move to the challenging Italian series after running in the Brazilian, Danish and Spanish championships in 2022.
The youngest driver of the field, having turned 15 a few weeks ago, Rashid Al Dhaheri will also debut in the championship, stepping up from karting and from his very first car racing experiences in the UAE.
Last but not least, Nicola Lacorte will be running with PREMA with the goal of establishing himself as a top contender in the high-level F4 competition. Last year, the 15-year-old from Pisa, Italy won the Supercorso title after joining the traditional post-season course and competition established by the Italian Federation.
For the first round of the year, the Italian Formula 4 Championship will compete on the ups and downs of Imola with a full 38-car roster which will require heat races. Every driver will compete in two heats, and the best ones will be allowed to take part in the Final race.
Angelo Rosin - Team Principal
"The 2023 season is finally here and we are really looking forward to an exciting year. We will field seven cars, which is going to be a challenge for us, but we feel we are well-prepared in terms of driver talent and team organization. We want to provide all the drivers with the chance to express their full potential, and we have worked all winter in that direction. Testing was promising so we feel ready to line up at Imola and get another busy year underway for our Formula 4 operation."