The 2025/26 Yokohama South Island Formula Ford Championship (SIFF) hits the mid-way point of the season with the third of five rounds taking place at Teretonga Park in Invercargill this weekend. For drivers’ intent on a tilt at the overall title, now is the time to make their mark on the series.
Auckland’s Marco Manson has created a gap on the chasing pack, now with a 103-point lead back to Canterbury’s Dylan Petch with Zach Tucker (Van Diemen RF05) in third, a further 63-points behind. Close behind are Jake Bryant (Van Diemen RF94), Izaack Fletcher (Ray GR20) and Maxim Kirwan (Spectrum 015) who have shown that they are quick enough to get onto the podium and could be a threat to the top three.
“I’ve been there (Teretonga) once and it’s pretty cool and fast,” said Manson (Spectrum 015). Manson and Petch (Van Diemen RF93) have between them won all eight races this season.
“I’m looking forward to Teretonga although I am not sure how the car will go there,” commented Petch. “We were fast there last year.”
Teretonga Park requires drivers to be quick at key parts of the circuit as Petch comments, “It is very important to get through the Loop and having a fast car in a straight line. You can draught up to Turn 2, out of the Loop all the way through the Esses to the hairpin. There is nowhere to make up time, so you need to be good everywhere.”
Even though he hasn’t been to the Invercargill track, newly crowned FIA Arrive and Drive World Cup kartsport champion and rookie Formula Ford driver Zach Tucker is proving to adapt quickly to single seater racing. Tucker was third in the Wigram Cup race at the last round in Christchurch and has been a consistent top five runner this season.
Having missed the previous round, Cameron Freeman and Jacob Begg make their return to the series as does Dyson Freeman.
Drivers face qualifying and four races across the two-days of racing. The South Island Formula Ford Club acknowledges the support from Team Hutchinson Ford. Available across the Formula Ford season is funding and support from both the Tony Quinn Foundation and the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy, while Yokohama return as the tyre of choice for Formula Ford Racing in NZ and the NAPA Driver of the Day Award.
Overall Points after Rnd 2/5
1/ Marco Manson 575
2/ Dylan Petch 472
3/ Zach Tucker 409
4/ Jake Bryant 357
5/ Izaak Fletcher 351
6/ Maxim Kirwan 346
7/ Jackson Culver 323
8/ Reagan Edwards 301
9/ Toby Musico 213
10/ Cameron Freeman 162
11/ Archie Dampier-Crossley 141
12/ Jacob Begg 36
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