![\"\u2018This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LouisSharpPremaAustria.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLouis Sharp believes he has what it takes to make his way up to the front in F3. Image: Prema<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLouis Sharp believes he has what it takes to make his way up to the front in F3. Image: Prema<\/p>\n
The New Zealander has endured a challenging opening half of his second F3 season after switching to Prema, with the 19-year-old admitting his future will depend on results and funding.<\/p>\n Speaking on Motorsport New Zealand\u2019s Inside Line podcast, Sharp said his immediate focus is on finishing the 2026 season strongly to put himself in position for an F2 move.<\/p>\n \u201cFormula 2 is where I want to be. This is my goal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI really need to focus on making sure 2026 finishes off really strong, so I can prove to people that I do have what it takes and I am good enough and I can go out and seek that funding.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to make these next few rounds really count.\u201d<\/p>\n Sharp entered the season with momentum from his Formula Regional Oceania Trophy campaign on home soil earlier this year.<\/p>\n He finished the championship third, winning the opening race at Hampton Downs before securing four more podiums to finish behind fellow F3 racers Ugo Ugochukwu and Freddie Slater.<\/p>\n Sharp admitted it had been difficult watching both Ugochukwu and Slater fight at the sharp end of the standings, while he had only managed to finish in the points once, with ninth place coming in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Sprint.<\/p>\n He said he had previously beaten both drivers and believes he has the ability to match them in F3.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been teammates with both of them in the past and beaten them both in the past so there is some sense of frustration because I know I\u2019m good enough to be at the front fighting with them,\u201d Sharp said.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously they\u2019re both doing an amazing job at the moment. Campos and Trident as well have been really strong and they\u2019re doing a really good job.<\/p>\n \u201cSo they are the benchmark, they are who I\u2019m working towards and needing to try and try and go after.<\/p>\n \u201cSo there is definitely some level of frustration, but as I said it\u2019s just extra motivation.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019ve got what it takes. I know I\u2019m good enough. There\u2019s just a few things I think as a package we need to overall improve.<\/p>\n \u201cOn my side as well I think there\u2019s some stuff I need to do better.\u201d<\/p>\n Sharp identified qualifying as the key area holding him back<\/a>, with the Kiwi confident his race pace and racecraft are strong enough to fight higher up the order once he can start further forward.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve shown some really strong race pace so far this year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI think in racing we\u2019ve been one of the fastest cars every week, but in terms of qualifying, this is where our biggest focus is on at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t quite been able to maximise things over the one lap, so this is where we need to focus I think.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce we are consistently qualifying up the top group, my racecraft and race pace is good enough, so it\u2019s just about trying to try to put it together on Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n Sharp\u2019s season was disrupted at the opening round in Melbourne, where he was involved in a heavy crash with Prema team-mate James Wharton.<\/p>\n He said he is now fully recovered from the back injury sustained in the incident, which saw him suffer three fractured vertebrae<\/a>, although the time away from training and full activity proved difficult.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fully recovered, so there\u2019s no issues,\u201d Sharp said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if anything it made me work even harder and to be even more prepared, because I think having that time off, not being able to drive it made me remember how much I love the sport and how much I missed it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SCA-1196-Wk1-Cat-BPO-Speedcafe_728x90.jpg\")
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