Formula 3 driver Jonny Edgar has already had his share of battles in his short career. However, none more so than his health.
Eighteen-year-old British racer Jonny Edgar began his racing career in 2012, working his way up the feeder series in pursuit of his Formula 1 dream. However, 2022 brought Edgar his biggest challenge to date, and it came off the track. This past year he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that affects a person’s digestive system. It is an incurable disease that can be painful, debilitating, and sometimes life-threatening.
Edgar’s History
Edgar made his single-seater debut in 2019 after placing third in WSK Super Master Series the year before. Racing for Jenzer Motorsport in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, he finished tenth in the standings taking two podiums. In 2020, he raced in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship for Vans Amersfoort Racing and won the championship with 300 points – two points clear of vice-champion and fellow Red Bull prospect Jak Crawford.
Edgar made his Formula 3 debut in 2021 racing for Carlin alongside Kaylen Frederick and Ido Cohen. He scored 28 points during the season finishing 18th – ahead of Frederick. In 2022, he switched to Trident alongside Roman Stanek and Zane Maloney. Despite being a favorite for the title, Edgar ended the opening round by scoring no points.
Edgar revealed he had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease during the winter which resulted in him drastically losing weight as well as affecting his driving ability. He then withdrew from the Italian and Spanish Grand Prix to ‘prioritize his health’. Trident would still go on to finish second Teams’ Championship.
‼️ Delighted to announce that I will be resuming my @FIAFormula3 campaign with @trident_team next weekend at @SilverstoneUK.
Following my Crohns diagnosis and period of illness, I have now improved sufficiently to make my return to racing.#RedBull #RedBullJuniorTeam #F3 pic.twitter.com/vYTxDqxrgv
— Jonny Edgar (@JonnyEdgar_) June 24, 2022
Edgar returned for the remainder of the 2022 season and would go on to score in six consecutive races, narrowly missing out on the podium in Spa and Zandvoort. Finishing the season with 46 points and P12 in the standings, Edgar showed his peers his sheer willpower not to give up.
Having participated in the Formula 3 post-season test in September for MP Motorsport, he was later announced as one of their drivers for the 2023 season. However, will Edgar’s ongoing health battles impact his ability to compete in the full F3 calendar? Either way, the young Brit has proven he is ready to face whatever challenges may come his way.
