{"id":223148,"date":"2026-01-08T12:03:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T12:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/223148\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T12:03:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T12:03:17","slug":"motorsport-news-first-test-offers-formula-regional-oceania-form-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/223148\/","title":{"rendered":"Motorsport news: First test offers Formula Regional Oceania form guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"First
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLouis Sharp at Hampton Downs during Formula Regional Oceania testing. Image: Joel Hanks<\/p>\n

The unofficial test gave the 19 competitors a chance to familiarise themselves with their car and team before the first official practice day.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Louis Sharp was quickest in the second split session for MTEC Motorsports, topping the timesheets with a 1:30.475s.\u00a0The best was still to come, however.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Ugochukwu was third for M2, Ryan Wood fourth for MTEC, and Freddie Slater fifth in another M2 car.<\/p>\n

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 \u2013 followed by Wood, Kanato Le, and Sharp.<\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Formula Regional Oceania Trophy drivers will get three 30-minute practice sessions on Friday before qualifying and racing begins on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Results: Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Hampton Downs, Test 1<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nLap
\nDiff
\nLaps
\nBest Lap<\/p>\n

1
\n11
\nLouis Sharp
\n01:30.067<\/p>\n

17
\n7<\/p>\n

2
\n12
\nJin Nakamura
\n01:30.110
\n0.043
\n13
\n8<\/p>\n

3
\n4
\nUgo Ugochuwku
\n01:30.257
\n0.190
\n14
\n13<\/p>\n

4
\n40
\nRyan Wood
\n01:30.312
\n0.245
\n17
\n8<\/p>\n

5
\n27
\nFreddie Slater
\n01:30.537
\n0.470
\n12
\n9<\/p>\n

6
\n3
\nZack Scoular
\n01:30.572
\n0.505
\n17
\n10<\/p>\n

7
\n19
\nKanato Le
\n01:30.614
\n0.547
\n13
\n6<\/p>\n

8
\n13
\nJames Wharton
\n01:30.731
\n0.664
\n13
\n6<\/p>\n

9
\n22
\nSebastian Manson
\n01:30.936
\n0.869
\n16
\n10<\/p>\n

10
\n24
\nErnesto Rivera
\n01:30.997
\n0.910
\n14
\n12<\/p>\n

11
\n33
\nFionn McLaughlin
\n01:30.981
\n0.914
\n3
\n3<\/p>\n

12
\n21
\nYevan David
\n01:31.031
\n0.964
\n13
\n6<\/p>\n

13
\n5
\nYuanpu Cui
\n01:31.125
\n1.058
\n16
\n7<\/p>\n

14
\n52
\nNolan Allaer
\n01:31.198
\n1.131
\n15
\n7<\/p>\n

15
\n69
\nKalle Rovanpera
\n01:31.381
\n1.314
\n9
\n9<\/p>\n

16
\n50
\nJack Taylor
\n01:31.888
\n1.821
\n15
\n15<\/p>\n

17
\n41
\nRicardo Baptista
\n01:31.895
\n1.828
\n11
\n8<\/p>\n

18
\n14
\nCooper Shipman
\n01:31.992
\n1.925
\n15
\n12<\/p>\n

19
\n8
\nTrevor LaTourrette
\n01:34.228
\n4.161
\n13
\n12<\/p>\n

Results: Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Hampton Downs, Test 2<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nLap
\nDiff
\nLaps
\nBest Lap<\/p>\n

1
\n12
\nJin Nakamura
\n01:30.127<\/p>\n

14
\n13<\/p>\n

2
\n33
\nFionn McLaughlin
\n01:30.465
\n0.338
\n16
\n15<\/p>\n

3
\n40
\nRyan Wood
\n01:30.535
\n0.408
\n15
\n14<\/p>\n

4
\n19
\nKanato Le
\n01:30.641
\n0.514
\n15
\n13<\/p>\n

5
\n11
\nLouis Sharp
\n01:30.674
\n0.547
\n15
\n13<\/p>\n

6
\n4
\nUgo Ugochuwku
\n01:30.725
\n0.598
\n15
\n11<\/p>\n

7
\n27
\nFreddie Slater
\n01:30.777
\n0.650
\n16
\n6<\/p>\n

8
\n24
\nErnesto Rivera
\n01:30.799
\n0.672
\n15
\n8<\/p>\n

9
\n3
\nZack Scoular
\n01:30.845
\n0.718
\n14
\n6<\/p>\n

10
\n13
\nJames Wharton
\n01:30.855
\n0.728
\n13
\n13<\/p>\n

11
\n52
\nNolan Allaer
\n01:31.220
\n1.093
\n14
\n14<\/p>\n

12
\n5
\nYuanpu Cui
\n01:31.255
\n1.128
\n16
\n13<\/p>\n

13
\n69
\nKalle Rovanpera
\n01:31.261
\n1.134
\n12
\n6<\/p>\n

14
\n21
\nYevan David
\n01:31.326
\n1.199
\n11
\n10<\/p>\n

15
\n14
\nCooper Shipman
\n01:31.340
\n1.213
\n14
\n13<\/p>\n

16
\n22
\nSebastian Manson
\n01:31.367
\n1.240
\n15
\n9<\/p>\n

17
\n50
\nJack Taylor
\n01:31.612
\n1.485
\n16
\n9<\/p>\n

18
\n41
\nRicardo Baptista
\n01:31.763
\n1.636
\n15
\n15<\/p>\n

19
\n8
\nTrevor LaTourrette
\n01:34.218
\n4.091
\n13
\n4<\/p>\n


\"\"\/
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