Further changes to the format of New Zealand’s premier single-seater championship, the Toyota FR Oceania Trophy, have been confirmed this week by series organisers TOYOTA GAZOO Racing NZ.
The format changes are designed to enhance the action and provide drivers with even better value for money, coming alongside the switch from a five-weekend championship to four to avoid clashes with Northern Hemisphere testing in IndyNXT and European junior formulae.
Aside from the Grand Prix weekend, there will now be four races per weekend, with qualifying and two races each day on Saturday and Sunday for the first three weekends.
The first three races of each weekend will be of 70km duration, while the longer feature races on Sunday afternoons will be 90km. These are the races that will decide the series of famous trophies, including the Dorothy Smith Memorial Trophy, the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy and the Spirit of a Nation Cup.
The New Zealand Grand Prix weekend, at Highlands Motorsport Park once again in 2026, has an unchanged format. That includes Grand Prix-type qualifying with two knockout sessions and a final shootout for the top ten grid spots.
The Grand Prix race itself is the longest and most gruelling challenge of the season at 109km and remains one of only two races outside of F1 – along with the Macau GP, to have official recognition as a Grand Prix event from the FIA.
The total mileage drivers can accumulate in the Toyota FR Oceania Trophy, arguably the world’s best value for money FIA Formula Regional Championship – remains in excess of 2,900km.
Amongst other changes to the format, five new sets of Pirelli tyres will be allocated to each driver per weekend, a significant increase from the current total of three sets. Two sets must be used over Thursday’s two 30-minute test sessions and Friday’s three 30-minute Free Practice sessions. That will leave drivers with three new sets each race weekend for two 15-minute qualifying sessions and four races.
A new push-to-pass system will also be introduced on the Toyota FT60 cars for the 2026 season, giving each car an additional 25 horsepower. Extensive testing of the push-to-pass addition will be completed before the season begins in January to determine the optimal conditions for usage, aiming to create more intense and tactical passes.
“Push to pass, and the extra tyres will definitely add new elements of a strategy for both drivers and teams over the whole weekend, and they are changes which are definitely designed to promote passing and closer racing,” explained TGRNZ Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol.
Format changes were approved by the FIA World Council meeting last month and immediately led to a host of enquiries and interest in the Oceania Formula Regional category from professional racing teams around the world.
2026 Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy
Round 1: 9-11 January – Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park
Round 2: 16-18 January – Taupo International Motorsport Park
Round 3: 23-25 January – Teretonga Raceway, Invercargill
Round 4: 30 Jan -1st Feb – 70th New Zealand Grand Prix – Highlands International Motorsport Park
Header Image: Bruce Jenkins
