IndyNXT racer Nolan Allaer will join Giles Motorsport to begin 2026 in New Zealand, competing in the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy.
Twenty-three-year-old Allaer joins an increasingly impressive list of drivers from all over the world heading to the southern hemisphere to take part in New Zealand’s premier single-seater championship.
Detroit-based Nolan’s motorsport career began in karts at just eight years old. His career in open-wheel racing began as a competitor in the SCCA National Championships in the USA, where he won the Formula Continental title in 2022.
In 2023, he repeated as FC Champion and added another title, this time in Formula F – both highly competitive single-seater categories. He also spent 2023 racing in the UK and became only the fourth American to win a heat race at the prestigious, historic Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, England.
A soon-to-be graduate in mechanical engineering, he stepped up into the IndyCar feeder series IndyNXT in 2024 with HMD Motorsports. He ran again with the team in 2025, finishing 16th overall in the championship.
The New Zealand campaign will present an array of new challenges, including mastering a Formula Regional car and NZ’s iconic and unforgiving circuits, but Nolan is up for the challenge.
“I’m honoured to be able to compete in this historic and successful championship,” he said.
“I will be aiming to adapt quickly to the new car and to fight at the front of the field. In simple terms, I will be aiming to improve with every session in the car.”
As well as F1 drivers Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, and Franco Colapinto, the New Zealand Championship list of graduates also includes the likes of Marcus Armstrong, Robert Schwartzman, and Santino Ferruci from IndyCar.
Two more teams have joined the New Zealand championship since it strategically reduced its season from five to four rounds to avoid clashes with northern hemisphere testing. A high-quality field is promised.
Fans will be able to follow Nolan’s progress in the championship easily. Qualifying will be livestreamed on TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s YouTube channel. Races will also be on that channel and on SkySport domestically in New Zealand. Races will also be streamed live on the Motorsport.TV platform.
Header Image: Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo
