2024 FIA World Cup: Atiku to support 17-year-old Nigerian-American Ugo Ugochukwu

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has extended his warm congratulations to 17-year-old Nigerian-American Ugo Ugochukwu on his remarkable victory in the 2024 FIA World Cup.

Ugochukwu achieved this impressive win at the 71st Macau Grand Prix on November 17, 2024, where he emerged as the champion, claiming the prestigious title.

Atiku, who was the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, expressed his pride in Ugochukwu’s accomplishment, praising the young talent’s dedication and exceptional skill. He assured Ugochukwu of his support as he prepares for his next competition in 2025.

Atiku stated, “The historic victory of Ugo Ugochukwu, whose Nigerian roots are well-grounded, at the 2024 FIA F3 World Cup makes me proud as a Nigerian. Being dubbed the next Lewis Hamilton confirms that the 17-year-old’s success at the 71st Macau Grand Prix was no fluke.”

He continued, “As Ugo gets ready to compete in the FIA Formula 3—the third-tier world racing championship—in 2025, he can be assured that he has a supporter in me. Once again, congratulations, Ugo, and may you soar like an eagle.”

Ugochukwu, a talented young driver, was born in New York to a Nigerian fashion model mother, Oluchi, and an Italian fashion designer father, Luca Orlandi. Despite his multicultural background, he proudly represents the United States in car racing.

Recently, Ugochukwu made headlines with his impressive win, leading the race from start to finish for R-ace GP. He outpaced Olivier Goethe from MP Motorsport and Noel León from KCMG IXO by Pinnacle Motorsport, showcasing his exceptional driving skills. This victory marks him as the first American driver to win the prestigious event in over 40 years.

When reflecting on his victory, Ugochukwu credited his success to his resilience and confidence, qualities that allowed him to remain focused and composed under pressure. “I can’t describe the feeling; I’m super happy. It was quite a tricky race. I was pushing the whole way, but I was confident in our pace. Ever since Q2, we’ve been quick. We won the Qualifying race as well, but there was still one more thing to do, which was win the main race, and we managed to do it,” the 17-year-old expressed.

“I can’t thank the R-ace GP team enough. We had a great weekend, and I’m super happy to finally get the job done.”

Ugochukwu was recognized at an early age as a racing prodigy. He began kart racing, a variant of motorsport, in 2013. He has been hailed as the next Lewis Hamilton, the decorated British racer, and signed a multi-year contract with McLaren in 2021.