![\"Wood](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/55032886378_6fe89db31c_6k-copy.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe start of the first Formula Regional Oceania Trophy race at Hampton Downs. <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe start of the first Formula Regional Oceania Trophy race at Hampton Downs. <\/p>\n
Race 1 was a fairly straightforward affair for Sharp, who got the jump on pole position winner Ugo Ugochukwu at the start into Turn 1.<\/p>\n
Sharp was pressured by Ugochukwu for the lion\u2019s share of the competition, but never ceded the lead. All told, the MTEC Motorsport driver beat his M2 Competition opponent by a meagre 0.448s after 18 laps.<\/p>\n
Kanato Le was third for Hitech TGR, three seconds away from the top two. In fourth was Ryan Wood, who recovered from a slow start to threaten the podium in the closing laps.<\/p>\n
Just seven-tenths split Le and Wood at the chequered flag.<\/p>\n
Jin Nakamura (Hitech TGR), Freddie Slater (M2 Competition), Zack Scoular (MTEC Motorsport), Yevan David (Kiwi Motorsport), Ernesto Rivera (M2 Competition), and James Wharton (HMD Motorsports\/TJ Speed) completed the top 10.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got a great start and a great first turn and then it was just about trying to look after the tyres and hold Ugo off as he was very quick,\u201d said Sharp.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe push to pass gives us a bit of strategy in terms of options but it is still hard to pass with the aero wash, so I was fully aware how important a good start would be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Race 2 of the weekend was a frenetic affair from start to finish.<\/p>\n
Yevan David started the reverse top eight from pole position, though it was Zack Scoular who got the holeshot to lead into Turn 1.<\/p>\n
There was drama mid-way through Lap 1 when James Wharton got spun off the nose of Sebastian Manson.<\/p>\n
With Wharton\u2019s car parked up, the Safety Car was drawn. For the contact, Manson was given a drive-through penalty for the incident.<\/p>\n
Scoular led the Lap 4 restart and left David to battle over second with Jin Nakamura.<\/p>\n
![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/55031663497_3106a7a604_5k.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Ryan Wood drives for MTEC Motorsport in Formula Regional Oceania Trophy.<\/p>\n
Behind them, the battle for fourth was fierce. Nakamura\u2019s teammate Kanato Le got stuck into the back of fourth-placed Slater and busted the front wing. That forced the Hitech TGR driver to the pits, which promoted Wood to fifth.<\/p>\n
Nakamura clinched second on Lap 7, passing David into Turn 1. The Kiwi Motorsport driver tried to take the place back but locked up into Turn 2 and conceded the position.<\/p>\n
David\u2019s race would only get worse as he further down the field to an eventual ninth place finish.<\/p>\n
With David out of the way, Slater and Wood waged war over third place. Slater was resolute in defence, however. Despite multiple attempts, Wood couldn\u2019t find a way through and settled for fourth.<\/p>\n
At the front of the field, Scoular was untouchable. In clear air, he clinched victory by 1.779s over Nakamura while Slater was another five seconds back.<\/p>\n
Ugochukwu claimed fifth place ahead of Sharp, Nolan Allaer, Jack Taylor, Yevan David, and Fionn McLaughlin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got a pretty good launch off the line and then built about a three-second gap at the start and just managed it from there,\u201d said Scoular.<\/p>\n
Formula Regional Oceania continues on Sunday with qualifying, which will set the grid for the 27-lap feature Race 4. The grid for Race 3 will be set by combined fastest lap times.<\/p>\n
Results: Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Hampton Downs, Race 1<\/p>\n
Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nLaps
\nDiff<\/p>\n
1
\n11
\nLouis Sharp
\n18
\n0<\/p>\n
2
\n4
\nUgo Ugochukwu
\n18
\n0.448<\/p>\n
3
\n19
\nKanato Le
\n18
\n3.036<\/p>\n
4
\n40
\nRyan Wood
\n18
\n3.789<\/p>\n
5
\n12
\nJin Nakamura
\n18
\n6.172<\/p>\n
6
\n27
\nFreddie Slater
\n18
\n7.017<\/p>\n
7
\n3
\nZack Scoular
\n18
\n8.819<\/p>\n
8
\n21
\nYevan David
\n18
\n11.363<\/p>\n
9
\n24
\nErnesto Rivera
\n18
\n12.523<\/p>\n
10
\n13
\nJames Wharton
\n18
\n13.104<\/p>\n
11
\n5
\nYuanpu Cui
\n18
\n20.178<\/p>\n
12
\n22
\nSebastian Manson
\n18
\n21.238<\/p>\n
13
\n33
\nFionn McLaughlin
\n18
\n21.677<\/p>\n
14
\n52
\nNolan Allaer
\n18
\n23.005<\/p>\n
15
\n50
\nJack Taylor
\n18
\n23.746<\/p>\n
16
\n41
\nRicardo Baptista
\n18
\n28.218<\/p>\n
17
\n69
\nKalle Rovanpera
\n18
\n28.465<\/p>\n
18
\n8
\nTrevor LaTourrette
\n18
\n49.296<\/p>\n
DNF
\n14
\nCooper Shipman
\n17<\/p>\n
Results: Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Hampton Downs, Race 2<\/p>\n
Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nLaps
\nDiff<\/p>\n
1
\n3
\nZack Scoular
\n18
\n0<\/p>\n
2
\n12
\nJin Nakamura
\n18
\n1.779<\/p>\n
3
\n27
\nFreddie Slater
\n18
\n7.155<\/p>\n
4
\n40
\nRyan Wood
\n18
\n7.800<\/p>\n
5
\n4
\nUgo Ugochukwu
\n18
\n8.968<\/p>\n
6
\n11
\nLouis Sharp
\n18
\n10.217<\/p>\n
7
\n52
\nNolan Allaer
\n18
\n13.66<\/p>\n
8
\n50
\nJack Taylor
\n18
\n21.685<\/p>\n
9
\n21
\nYevan David
\n18
\n22.914<\/p>\n
10
\n33
\nFionn McLaughlin
\n18
\n22.941<\/p>\n
11
\n69
\nKalle Rovanpera
\n18
\n24.490<\/p>\n
12
\n14
\nCooper Shipman
\n18
\n26.293<\/p>\n
13
\n8
\nTrevor LaTourrette
\n18
\n36.916<\/p>\n
14
\n19
\nKanato Le
\n18
\n1:14.043<\/p>\n
15
\n41
\nRicardo Baptista
\n17
\n1 lap<\/p>\n
16
\n22
\nSebastian Manson
\n17
\n1 lap<\/p>\n
17
\n13
\nJames Wharton
\n16
\n2 laps<\/p>\n
18
\n5
\nYuanpu Cui
\n14
\n4 laps<\/p>\n
DNF
\n24
\nErnesto Rivera
\n16<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/285249.gif\")