Ugochukwu drawing interest across F1 paddock

American driver Ugo Ugochukwu has attracted interest from a number of Formula 1 teams as he fights for this year's Formula 3 championship, RACER understands. 

The 19-year-old is in the F3 title picture in his second season in the series, currently sitting second to Audi-backed driver Freddie Slater by just eight points. Ugochukwu, who was previously part of the McLaren driver program, has two victories to his name this year, and has been linked to multiple teams within the F1 paddock.

RACER understands Alpine is one of the teams to have evaluated Ugochukwu – including running him in a previous F1 car at Monza earlier this summer – while Cadillac is also showing an interest as it looks to build up its roster of young driver options.

Ugochukwu is poised to earn an FIA Super License with a top five finish in this year’s F3 championship, courtesy of winning the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy over the winter and finishing third in Formula Regional Middle East series the previous year.

There are two F3 rounds remaining after the summer break, with a normal race weekend at Monza and then a double-header of feature races – along with a sprint race – in Madrid in order to make up for the lost round in Bahrain earlier this year.

Ugochukwu led the standings from the opening round in Australia but was usurped by Slater this weekend at the Hungaroring, after finishing second to the British driver in a close battle for the feature race victory on Sunday morning.

The next logical step for Ugochukwu would be up to Formula 2 in 2027, and drivers making the move often take advantage of the earlier finish to the F3 season to make appearances in the final rounds of the concurrent F2 season as preparation.