Ugo Ugochukwu secured the 2026 Formula 3 championship at Madring, overcoming a 15-point deficit to Freddie Slater heading into the final round. The 19-year-old American, driving for Campos Racing, clinched the title with a composed second-place finish in the decisive feature race, while Slater, the Trident driver and Audi junior, struggled after qualifying 17th and eighth.

The season-long battle between the pair, who previously contested the Formula Regional European title, tilted at Monza when Slater retired from the lead due to a technical issue. At Madring, Ugochukwu qualified strongly and scored consistently across three races — added to replace the cancelled Bahrain round — while Slater failed to score in the first feature race.

"We knew that P2 would clinch the title, so just had to ultimately bring it home," Ugochukwu said. The victory marks redemption after his 2025 season ended 16th and he departed the McLaren junior programme. Campos Racing also claimed the teams' championship, completing a dominant season.

Slater, 18, was recognized as F3's top rookie despite the title loss.