Callum Hedge is making a one-off appearance in the 2024 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship in Cromwell this weekend. It’s reported his reasons are two-fold, giving him much needed seat time ahead of his 2024 Indy NXT campaign in the USA and another chance to win the NZ Grand Prix and put his name on the trophy.
On the announcement of his participation in the fifth and final round, the question was raised about his having an effect on championship points and the race for the title between fellow Kiwi Liam Sceats and current leader Roman Bilinski. The first race of the weekend would soon answer this question.
Sceats got away quickest from pole position with Hedge slotting in behind him and Bilinski taking up third. Hedge was never in a position to challenge for the race lead while Bilinski got close to Hedge on several occasions.
During the race at the Highlands Motorsport Park, Sky Sport pit-lane presenter Emma Gilmour asked Bilinski’s chief technician about the pressure he was putting onto Hedge during the race. His reply, pointing out that Hedge was no threat as he is regarded as a Wildcard for the meeting and scores no points, had us scrambling for the category regulations.
The Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship Certified by FIA 2024 Sporting Regulations state under Article 7.1.1 the following:
The Category Manager may request from MotorSport NZ the approval of Wildcard entries into Meeting 5. Each Wildcard entry will be limited to only Meeting 5. The Wildcard will not be eligible to be awarded championship points. At the conclusion of each race entered by the Wildcard, championship points will be allocated based on the finishing position of the registered championship competitors as stated in Article 7.1 excluding the classification of the Wildcard(s).
While this seems to fit Hedge’s one-off appearance in the Championship, the Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ management have since confirmed that Hedge fits the requirements of the championship so is available to score points. The regulation regarding a Wildcard entry is for a driver such as Shane van Gisbergen or Chris van der Drift or even Lando Norris, if they were to enter the NZ Grand Prix meeting.
So, in Race 1 Hedge will have scored 31-points while Bilinski, in third, collected 27-points. With 35-points for the winner, Sceats has now reduced Bilinski’s championship lead from 56 to 48-points.
They now head into Sunday morning’s Race two with Sceats starting behind Bilinski in a top eight reverse grid race. Bilinski should have enough of a lead to win the overall title, it is his championship to lose and starting mid-pack for the 68th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix does threaten his chances particularly with Sceats starting from pole and now with some end of season confidence.
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