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.
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
