James delivered his strongest result of the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season so far with a determined drive to P4 in today’s Sprint Race at the Hungaroring.

Starting from the front row after an outstanding qualifying performance on Friday, James slotted into second place behind pole-sitter Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak as the lights went out. Over the opening laps, he stayed well within DRS range, pushing hard to keep pressure on the Campos driver while managing tyre wear in the hot Budapest conditions.

As the race wore on, James began to lose rear grip and gradually fell out of DRS range, leaving him vulnerable to a charging Ugo Ugochukwu. The American driver eventually found a way past on lap 11, with James now facing a fresh challenge from behind. He showed remarkable composure under pressure, fending off Wharton and Badoer during the middle phase of the race, despite significant drop-off in tyre performance.

A late-race Safety Car led to a one-lap shootout to the chequered flag. Although Charlie Wurz was able to get by on the restart, James held his ground to bring the car home in P4—his best finish of the year and a well-earned reward for a weekend of steady progression.

He’ll be back in action tomorrow morning in the Feature Race, starting from 11th on the grid.