# 2026 Formula Regional Oceania Trophy
The **2026 Formula Regional Oceania Trophy**, run as the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, was the inaugural season of the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, a New Zealand-based junior single-seater series certified by the FIA and organized by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand.[1](https://liquipedia.net/formula1/2026_Formula_Regional_Oceania_Trophy) It was the 21st season of New Zealand's premier single-seater championship, and the first run under the FIA's new Regional Trophy format, which replaced the former championship structure.[2](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2025/june/fia-backs-changes-to-castrol-toyota-formula-regional-oceania-trophy/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Season dates | 8 January to 1 February 2026, four rounds in four consecutive weeks[3](https://www.fia.com/news/2026-fia-sporting-calendars-approved-world-motor-sport-council) |
| Calendar | Hampton Downs, Taupo, Teretonga, Highlands Motorsport Park (all New Zealand)[3](https://www.fia.com/news/2026-fia-sporting-calendars-approved-world-motor-sport-council) |
| Format | Four races per round, 16 races total, up from 15 races over five weekends in the previous championship format[4](https://feederseries.net/2026/03/27/analysis-are-fr-oceanias-fast-paced-four-race-weekends-the-way-forward/) • [2](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2025/june/fia-backs-changes-to-castrol-toyota-formula-regional-oceania-trophy/) |
| Approval | Calendar approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on 16 October 2025[3](https://www.fia.com/news/2026-fia-sporting-calendars-approved-world-motor-sport-council) |
| Car | Toyota FT-60: Tatuus-built carbon monocoque, 2.0-liter turbocharged Toyota 8AR-FTS engine, 285 hp, 692 kg with driver[5](https://mtecmotorsport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2024-CTFROC-SERIES-GUIDE-WEB-4-1.pdf) |
| New for 2026 | Push-to-pass overtaking system introduced[6](https://www.tatuus.it/en/media-room/the-collaboration-between-tatuus-and-tgrnz-continues-from-2027-the-t-326-will-join-the-grid-in-the-ct-frot) |
| Grid | 19 drivers from a field of rising international single-seater prospects[7](https://feederseries.net/2026/01/07/formula-regional-oceania-trophy-2026-season-guide/) |
## Format change and calendar
For 2026 the series moved from a championship to the FIA Regional Trophy format, designed for series that run within a shorter, more constricted timeframe. The regular 15 races were compressed into four weekends instead of five, a streamlining intended to remove clashes with international testing so that northern hemisphere drivers could use the series as winter mileage without disrupting their main campaigns.[2](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2025/june/fia-backs-changes-to-castrol-toyota-formula-regional-oceania-trophy/) Each round featured four races rather than the previous three, giving 16 races across the season.[4](https://feederseries.net/2026/03/27/analysis-are-fr-oceanias-fast-paced-four-race-weekends-the-way-forward/)
The FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the calendar on 16 October 2025: Hampton Downs (8-11 January), Taupo (15-18 January), Teretonga (22-25 January), and Highlands Motorsport Park (29 January to 1 February), all in New Zealand.[3](https://www.fia.com/news/2026-fia-sporting-calendars-approved-world-motor-sport-council)
## Car and technical package
The 2026 grid ran the Toyota FT-60, in use since 2020: a Tatuus-built FIA-homologated carbon monocoque with Halo protection, a Sadev six-speed paddle-shift gearbox, and a 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection Toyota 8AR-FTS engine producing 285 hp (212 kW). The car weighs 692 kg with driver and has a stated top speed of 250 kph.[5](https://mtecmotorsport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2024-CTFROC-SERIES-GUIDE-WEB-4-1.pdf) A push-to-pass overtaking system was introduced for 2026 and remained part of the car package thereafter.[6](https://www.tatuus.it/en/media-room/the-collaboration-between-tatuus-and-tgrnz-continues-from-2027-the-t-326-will-join-the-grid-in-the-ct-frot) From 2027 the series is scheduled to adopt a second-generation Formula Regional car based on the Tatuus T-326 chassis, aligned with FIA Formula Regional Gen 2 standards and powered by an evolution of the same 8AR-FTS engine.[6](https://www.tatuus.it/en/media-room/the-collaboration-between-tatuus-and-tgrnz-continues-from-2027-the-t-326-will-join-the-grid-in-the-ct-frot)
## Teams and drivers
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand confirmed six teams for the 2026 season, with teams operating parallel programs across the USA, Europe, and Oceania.[8](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/june/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania-trophy-reveals-teams-for-new-gen-2-era/) The British-based team Hitech joined the grid for the first time.[7](https://feederseries.net/2026/01/07/formula-regional-oceania-trophy-2026-season-guide/) The 19-driver entry was built around rising international prospects, and the series retained its role as a winter training ground: 30 percent of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 grid had raced in New Zealand before the start of that season.[4](https://feederseries.net/2026/03/27/analysis-are-fr-oceanias-fast-paced-four-race-weekends-the-way-forward/) The 2025 championship winner, [Arvid Lindblad](https://www.edgepedia.org/arvid-lindblad), entered 2026 being touted for a [Formula One](https://www.edgepedia.org/formula-one) seat, an example of the series' role in the junior ladder.[9](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2025/june/castrol-toyota-formula-regional-oceania-trophy-dates-confirmed/)
## Season summary
The season opened at Hampton Downs on 8-11 January 2026 and ran through four consecutive weekends. At Teretonga, the third round, Britain's Freddie Slater took his first win of the season in a rain and Safety Car-interrupted race, and two-time World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanperä, contesting his first single-seater campaign, took his first single-seater podium; Slater was the sixth different driver to win a race that season, underlining how competitive the field was.[10](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/january/slater-wins-and-rovanpera-stars-in-teretonga-rain/) [Ugo Ugochukwu](https://www.edgepedia.org/ugo-ugochukwu) arrived at the final round at Highlands Motorsport Park as championship leader with three wins, and extended his position with a dominant victory there.[11](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/january/ugochukwu-takes-firm-grip-of-trophy--wood-now-second-overall/) The final round also hosted the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix, won by Zack Scoular in his last single-seater race.[12](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/)
## References
1. [2026 Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, Liquipedia Formula 1 Wiki](https://liquipedia.net/formula1/2026_Formula_Regional_Oceania_Trophy)
2. [FIA backs changes to Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, Toyota NZ](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2025/june/fia-backs-changes-to-castrol-toyota-formula-regional-oceania-trophy/)
3. [2026 FIA Sporting calendars as approved by the World Motor Sport Council, FIA](https://www.fia.com/news/2026-fia-sporting-calendars-approved-world-motor-sport-council)
4. [Analysis: Are FR Oceania's fast-paced, four-race weekends the way forward?, Feeder Series](https://feederseries.net/2026/03/27/analysis-are-fr-oceanias-fast-paced-four-race-weekends-the-way-forward/)
5. [2024 CTFROC Series Guide, MTEC Motorsport](https://mtecmotorsport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2024-CTFROC-SERIES-GUIDE-WEB-4-1.pdf)
6. [Tatuus T-326 in Oceania, Tatuus](https://www.tatuus.it/en/media-room/the-collaboration-between-tatuus-and-tgrnz-continues-from-2027-the-t-326-will-join-the-grid-in-the-ct-frot)
7. [Formula Regional Oceania Trophy: 2026 season guide, Feeder Series](https://feederseries.net/2026/01/07/formula-regional-oceania-trophy-2026-season-guide/)
8. [Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Trophy reveals teams for new Gen 2 era, Toyota NZ](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/june/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania-trophy-reveals-teams-for-new-gen-2-era/)
9. [Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy dates confirmed, Toyota NZ](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2025/june/castrol-toyota-formula-regional-oceania-trophy-dates-confirmed/)
10. [Slater wins and Rovanperä stars in Teretonga rain, Toyota NZ](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/january/slater-wins-and-rovanpera-stars-in-teretonga-rain/)
11. [Ugochukwu takes firm grip of Trophy, Wood now second overall, Toyota NZ](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/january/ugochukwu-takes-firm-grip-of-trophy--wood-now-second-overall/)
12. [2026 news archive, Toyota NZ](https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-fr-oceania/news/2026/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Cycling and motor sport › Cycling and motor racing — overview*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license