With the completion of the opening 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy round held at the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, we have started to get some clarity on the form of this season’s 19 entries. 2026 has some serious talent drawing from different parts of the motorsport world. The series is now a melting pot for those transitioning out of one season into another.
Making his mark, Ugo Ugochukwu is the driver to beat after the first four races. The New Yorker twice put his car on pole and won two of the four races.
The best of the Kiwis was Louis Sharp who made an impressive debut qualifying on the front row of the Race 1 grid then going on to win. However, two key mistakes, which no driver can afford to make, sees him in fifth on the points table. Sharp’s car seemed to be quick in qualifying but not in race trim while his teammate Ryan Wood was the opposite, better in race trim. Sharp will be lamenting, hopefully not for too long, some lost opportunities. Let’s hope that the 43-point gap to Ugochukwu is motivation for an improved performance this coming weekend.
Double World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanpera doesn’t have to prove anything. The series is preparation, gaining race craft and experience for the 2026 Super Formula Series season in Japan. It’s a big transition for him and while he may sit 18th overall on the points table, we will see constant improvement over the next three weekends. His advantage is that while others become braver and improve with confidence, bravery is already second nature to a world-class rally driver. His qualifying ninth for the Dorothy Smith Memorial Cup feature race has been a key sign of marked improvement.
Japanese drivers and Hitech teammates Jin Nakamura and Kanato Le sit second and third on the points table. They were both consistently impressive and fast in both practice and racing. This has got to be good for the series for at last, we have some top Japanese talent which will be noticed. While there will be huge interest coming out of Japan in Rovanpera, two local drivers standing on the podium will also be engaging.
Nakamura comes out of Formula Regional European Cup while Le competed in the 2025 British GB3 Championship. Both this season are heading for the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
Supercars driver Ryan Wood is a top talent and it’s good to have him on the grid. He has nothing to prove and everything to gain and will continue to push the boundaries. A win will not be far away.
Taupo Motorsport Park hosts the second round, and all drivers will be on the improve. Nothing is set and there are plenty more opportunities for talent to come to the fore.
2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Points after 1/4 rounds
(Position, #, Driver, Country, Team, Points)
1/ 4, Ugo Ugochukwu, USA, M2 Competition 113
2/ 12, Jin Nakamura, JPN, Hitech 95
3/ 19, Kanato Le, JPN, Hitech 87
4/ 27, Freddie Slater, GBR, M2 Competition 74
5/ 11, Louis Sharp, NZ,L Mtec Motorsport 70
6/ 3, Zack Scoular, NZL, Mtec Motorsport 62
7/ 24, Ernesto Rivera, MEX, M2 Competition 57
8/ 13, James Wharton, AUS, TJ Speed with HMD Motorsports 46
9/ 21, Yevan David, LKA, Kiwi Motorsport 44
10/ 52, Nolan Allaer, USA, Giles Motorsport 44
11/ 40, Ryan Wood, NZL, Mtec Motorsport 41
12/ 5, Yuanpu Cui, CHN, Mtec Motorsport 40
13/ 33, Fionn McLaughlin, IRE, Hitech 36
14/ 22, Sebastian Manson, NZL, M2 Competition 29
15/ 14, Cooper Shipman, USA, Kiwi Motorsport 23
16/ 50, Jack Taylor, AUS, Giles Motorsport 19
17/ 41, Ricardo Baptista, BRA, TJ Speed with HMD Motorsports 19
18/ 69, Kalle Rovanpera, FIN, Hitech 16
19/ 8, Trevor Latourrette, USA, TJ Speed with HMD Motorsport 15
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