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Home Circuit New Zealand

First test offers Formula Regional Oceania form guide

Formula Regional Oceania Trophy drivers got their first taste of track action at Hampton Downs on Thursday ahead of the season-opener.

Simon Chapman
Simon Chapman
8 Jan 2026
Simon Chapman
//
8 Jan 2026
// New Zealand
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First test offers Formula Regional Oceania form guide
Louis Sharp at Hampton Downs during Formula Regional Oceania testing. Image: Joel Hanks

The unofficial test gave the 19 competitors a chance to familiarise themselves with their car and team before the first official practice day.

On Thursday morning, the field was split in half for their first on-track outing. Ugo Ugochukwu topped the first session for M2 Competition with a 1:30.799s.

Louis Sharp was quickest in the second split session for MTEC Motorsports, topping the timesheets with a 1:30.475s. The best was still to come, however.

Sharp improved in the first all-in test, setting a Thursday-best 1:30.067s ahead of Hitech TGR driver Jin Nakamura, who was just 0.043s adrift in second.

Ugochukwu was third for M2, Ryan Wood fourth for MTEC, and Freddie Slater fifth in another M2 car.

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Nakamura improved the benchmark in the second test, clocking a 1:30.127s ahead of Red Bull junior Fionn McLaughlin out of the Hitech camp – followed by Wood, Kanato Le, and Sharp.

It was a nice bounce back for McLaughlin, who completed just three laps in the first all-in test after going off the road.

First through 18th was covered by 1.636s, while HMD Motorsports/TJ Speed driver Trevor LaTourrette struggled for speed at more than four seconds adrift.

Australia’s leading interest, James Wharton, was eighth in the first session and 10th in the second session. Compatriot Jack Taylor was 16th and 17th across the two hit-outs.

WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera made a steady start. The Hitech driver was 15th in the first session, 1.314s off the pace. He backed that up with 13th in the second session, 1.134s away.

Formula Regional Oceania Trophy drivers will get three 30-minute practice sessions on Friday before qualifying and racing begins on Saturday.

Results: Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Hampton Downs, Test 1

Pos Num Driver Lap Diff Laps Best Lap
1 11 Louis Sharp 01:30.067 17 7
2 12 Jin Nakamura 01:30.110 0.043 13 8
3 4 Ugo Ugochuwku 01:30.257 0.190 14 13
4 40 Ryan Wood 01:30.312 0.245 17 8
5 27 Freddie Slater 01:30.537 0.470 12 9
6 3 Zack Scoular 01:30.572 0.505 17 10
7 19 Kanato Le 01:30.614 0.547 13 6
8 13 James Wharton 01:30.731 0.664 13 6
9 22 Sebastian Manson 01:30.936 0.869 16 10
10 24 Ernesto Rivera 01:30.997 0.910 14 12
11 33 Fionn McLaughlin 01:30.981 0.914 3 3
12 21 Yevan David 01:31.031 0.964 13 6
13 5 Yuanpu Cui 01:31.125 1.058 16 7
14 52 Nolan Allaer 01:31.198 1.131 15 7
15 69 Kalle Rovanpera 01:31.381 1.314 9 9
16 50 Jack Taylor 01:31.888 1.821 15 15
17 41 Ricardo Baptista 01:31.895 1.828 11 8
18 14 Cooper Shipman 01:31.992 1.925 15 12
19 8 Trevor LaTourrette 01:34.228 4.161 13 12

Results: Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Hampton Downs, Test 2

Pos Num Driver Lap Diff Laps Best Lap
1 12 Jin Nakamura 01:30.127 14 13
2 33 Fionn McLaughlin 01:30.465 0.338 16 15
3 40 Ryan Wood 01:30.535 0.408 15 14
4 19 Kanato Le 01:30.641 0.514 15 13
5 11 Louis Sharp 01:30.674 0.547 15 13
6 4 Ugo Ugochuwku 01:30.725 0.598 15 11
7 27 Freddie Slater 01:30.777 0.650 16 6
8 24 Ernesto Rivera 01:30.799 0.672 15 8
9 3 Zack Scoular 01:30.845 0.718 14 6
10 13 James Wharton 01:30.855 0.728 13 13
11 52 Nolan Allaer 01:31.220 1.093 14 14
12 5 Yuanpu Cui 01:31.255 1.128 16 13
13 69 Kalle Rovanpera 01:31.261 1.134 12 6
14 21 Yevan David 01:31.326 1.199 11 10
15 14 Cooper Shipman 01:31.340 1.213 14 13
16 22 Sebastian Manson 01:31.367 1.240 15 9
17 50 Jack Taylor 01:31.612 1.485 16 9
18 41 Ricardo Baptista 01:31.763 1.636 15 15
19 8 Trevor LaTourrette 01:34.218 4.091 13 4
Tags: formula regional oceania championship
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