Organisers have drawn a 19-car grid, featuring a few names that could conceivably be F1-bound.

Off the back of Arvid Lindblad’s 2025 tirumph, there will no doubt be a bunch of drivers wanting to show why they deserve to be looked at as potential F1 picks.

Ahead of the four-round series, we flag who we think will be front-runners in 2026.

Ryan Wood – MTEC Motorsport

Ryan Wood has come a long way in a year – and if the performances by Will Brown and Broc Feeney at the 2025 New Zealand Grand Prix are anything to go by, Wood should be fast.

Wood comes into Formula Regional Oceania without any single-seater experience. Out of karts, he made the local Toyota 86 series his domain in New Zealand before graduating to Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge and then the Dunlop Super2 Series.

For avid Speedcafe readers, seeing how Ryan Wood shapes up against the next generation of aspiring Formula 1 stars will be worth watching.

“For me, it’s sharpening by tools in my toolbox to try and get better in the Supercar and I think that’s going to really help,” said Wood.

“I think it’ll help me in the long run, even with the GT stuff. It’s really exciting. The championship is ever evolving and there are some really great drivers, some great people, and some great teams. It’s going to be exciting and I’m just going to soak it all in and really enjoy it.”

Kalle Rovanpera – Hitech GP

Kalle Rovanpera, the WRC champion? Yes, that Kalle Rovanpera!

Proven in rally, the new Formula Regional Oceania season marks the first competitive outing for Rovanpera in single-seater racing after his shock decision to ditch the WRC.

Supported by Toyota, the Finnish driver has his eyes on Formula 1 – and racing in New Zealand is the first step towards that.

It will act as something of a warm-up for the upcoming Super Formula season. The Tatuus T-318 and the Dallara SF23 may both be powered by 2.0-litre turbocharged engines, but their speeds are worlds apart.

Should too much be read into the Formula Regional Oceania campaign? Winning it would no doubt be a big confidence booster.

Louis Sharp – MTEC Motorsport

If there was a driver who many thought could follow in the footsteps of Liam Lawson, then many Kiwis had their eyes on Louis Sharp.

A prodigious talent in karts, Sharp stepped up to Formula 4 and was winning races almost immediately.

In his second Formula 4 season, he took out the British title. A year later, he was winning Britain’s de facto Formula 3 series, dubbed GB3.

However, the step up for the world stage in the Formula 1-supporting Formula 3 championship proved frustrating – and perhaps proved the next step should have been Formula Regional.

Ahead of his second, potentially career-defining Formula 3 season, Sharp will look to hone his skills on home soil.

Winning Formula Regional Oceania should be his top priority against other established names like Ugo Ugochukwu and Freddie Slater.

Sharp will have to buck a trend, however. M2 Competition has won the last seven titles.

Freddie Slater – M2 Competition

At just 17 years old, Freddie Slater has the potential to be Great Britain’s next big thing.

Slater made his mark in 2024, winning the Italian Formula 4 Championship. In a remarkable campaign he won 14 of the 21 races.

A year later, he clinched the Formula Regional European Championship with another dominant run – winning eight of the 20 races.

The Macau Grand Prix has often been a barometer for success, and Slater looked like he would win the 2025 race after dominating the opening stanza.

However, a mistake ultimately cost him the crown after he clipped an Armco barrier.

M2 Competition is the team to beat in Formula Regional Oceania, and Slater should be among the short-priced favourites.

Fionn McLaughlin – Hitech GP

Fionn McLaughlin is arguably one of Ireland’s hottest prospects.

The 18-year-old shone at the Macau Grand Prix, leading the FIA F4 World Cup before unfortunately crashing out of a commanding lead.

The British F4 champion is set for a quick ascension up in 2026, racing in Formula Regional Oceania before graduating to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Hitech GP.

McLaughlin is a product of the Red Bull Racing junior driver academy, so it’s no surprise that the 18-year-old will climb the ladder quickly.

Ugo Ugochukwu – M2 Competition

Former McLaren junior Ugo Ugochukwu was once touted as the Formula 1 team’s next big thing, but just a few years on from signing with the Woking team he’s been cast aside.

The 18-year-old has been right in the mix throughout his junior career, but hasn’t delivered a much-needed championship win in any of the major recognised categories of the F1 ladder.

In the 2025 summer, he elected to take on the Formula Regional Middle East Championship where he finished third – just behind Slater and title winner Evan Giltaire.

A return to the Tatuus T-318 chassis with the best team in Formula Regional Oceania should bring his best opportunity yet to win a major title.

Ernesto Rivera – M2 Competition

Is Ernesto Rivera the dark horse?

The Mexican has yet to win a major title in either Formula 4 or Formula Regional competition, but signing to Red Bull and plans to race in the FIA Formula 3 Championship can’t be ignored.

M2 Competition doesn’t take dud drivers either, and that in and of itself is a good barometer for talent.