Kalle Rovanpera bags career-best result after improved Formula Regional showing

Mat Coch 19 Jan 2026 11:26 AM

Kalle Rovanpera in action at Taupo for the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy.

American youngster Ugo Ugochukwu continues to lead the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy following its second weekend of action in New Zealand, which witnessed an improved showing from Kalle Rovanpera.

Ugochukwu picked up two podiums across the weekend’s four races in Taupo as Ryan Wood, James Wharton, and Zak Scoular made for an Antipodean sweep of top spot as Rovanpera logged his best open-wheel result.

Kalle Rovanpera achieves career-best result in Formula Regional Oceania Trophy

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Rovanpera headlined the competition heading into the four-event series as the two-time World Rally Champion makes the switch to open-wheeler racing.

His debut weekend proved a baptism of fire, and ended with an opening corner crash in the final race at Hampton Downs to eliminate him early.

There had been signs of promise, however, as there were again in Taupo.

However, it was a slow start for the Finn, who finished 16th in the opening 18-lap encounter. The race was won by Wood in lights-to-flag fashion while Ugochukwu was second to the line from Freddie Slater.

Rovanpera netted his first top 10 result next time out in 10th, a race that featured reverse top eight from Race 1 that saw Wharton win from the second row. Ernesto Rivera and Ugochukwu completed the podium, with the latter having moved up from seventh on the grid.

Race 3 went to Scoular with Slater third and Wood in fourth, while Rovanpera slipped to 14th, one spot behind Ugochukwu who endured a tough start to Sunday’s action.

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The American steadied the ship for the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy, the fourth and final race of the weekend, as he flashed across the line fourth.

Wood was again victorious, his second success of the weekend as he climbed to fifth in the series standings. Kanato Le was second in the Safety Car interrupted 23-lap affair, with Louis Sharp third – his first top three performance since the opening race of the series at Hampton Downs.

Rovanpera also improved, briefly involved in a scrap with Race 3 winner Scoular before the Kiwi retired after contact with Rivera. He ultimately rose to ninth, a six-place improvement from his starting place after qualifying 15th in wet conditions earlier in the day – his finishing position boosted post-race courtesy of penalties for Jack Taylor and Ricardo Baptista.

“It’s P14 & P11 from Sunday’s races,” Rovanpera wrote on social media at the end of the weekend.

“A lot of work to do, but we still have two more CTFROT weekends to go so let’s try to keep improving!”

The four-weekend series moves next to Teretonga Park on the South Island for Round 3.

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