As the 2023 Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship gets underway this weekend at the Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell (NZ), two of the drivers have moved back to single seaters having spent last season racing in Porsche categories in Australia.
Australian Tom McLennan and Kiwi Callum Hedge, both with Formula Ford experience, are both enjoying their first taste of the driving the FT60 single seater leading up to the first of five consecutive rounds of the Formula Regional Oceania Championship.
McLennan finished ninth in the 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia Pro class while Hedge finished sixth in the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Series.
So why the switch from Porsche to Toyota, ‘tin-tops’ to single seaters?
“Obviously this series is a great championship and it runs in the off-season of Porsche racing in Australia,” commented McLennan. “The amount of racing in such a short amount of time keeps a driver sharp and consistent in the off-season. While everyone is on holiday, I’m here in NZ and cutting laps so it will be a great advantage heading into the next season.”
So, what of the future for McLennan, is it likely to involve single seaters?
“I’ve got a two-year contract with McElrea Racing in Australia so we will see where that goes and if any doors open after that.”
Hedge appears to be similar on his motivation to compete in single seaters and the whole Formula Regional Oceania experience.
“It’s a great learning category with Toyota here in New Zealand, so fortunate to get the backing of the Tony Quinn Foundation and Toyota Gazoo New Zealand. The main reason for doing the series is to grow and learn both as a driver and a person.”
Hedge won the 2018/19 NZ Formula Ford title and then went on to win the 2018/19 Toyota 86 Championship before heading to Australia and competing in the 2019 Australian Formula Ford Championship and then on to racing Porsche.
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