The Tony Quinn Foundation is delighted to announce that rising Kiwi single-seater star Louis Sharp has been awarded a $100,000 grant to support his upcoming campaign in the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT), which forms a key part of the NextGen NZ Championship, now in its second year as New Zealand’s national summer series bringing together the country’s premier categories.
Sharp now joins an esteemed list of previous Tony Quinn Foundation CTFROT grant recipients, including Callum Hedge, Liam Sceats, and Zack Scoular, who each went on to launch successful campaigns in the category with the support of the Foundation.
Group CEO Josie Spillane reflected on Sharp’s early involvement with Hampton Downs, Highlands, and the Foundation.
“We’d just started the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy in 2021, and Louis was our very first participant in the Academy and also a Highlands Young Gun.
He’s remained a proud ambassador for the parks, stayed in touch and is always prepared to give back — he’s got an x-factor on and off the track. We are delighted to now announce him as an ambassador for the Tony Quinn Foundation — it’s a rare achievement — and he’s very deserving of it.”
That sentiment was echoed by Tony Quinn Foundation Trustee Greg Murphy, who said the announcement is recognition of Sharp’s achievements and potential.
“We’ve been watching Louis for some time, and you don’t get to Europe and have the support he’s had without being a special talent,” said Murphy.
“David Dicker (Rodin Cars) has done an immense job supporting him so far, and this is a chance for the Tony Quinn Foundation to also play a part in helping him take the next step. We see him as a Kiwi with the potential to make Formula One, and that’s exactly the kind of talent the Foundation is here to support.”
Sharp shared that excitement, saying he is relishing the chance to finally contest CTFROT as part of the Repco NextGen NZ Championship, after dreaming of it since his karting days.
“I am super excited to be returning home and racing in New Zealand’s premier championship. This series has been on my bucket list since I was very young, so to have the opportunity with the help of the Tony Quinn Foundation is a dream come true.”
He also highlighted the honour of competing in the country’s most prestigious race, the New Zealand Grand Prix.
“To be competing in my first New Zealand Grand Prix is another dream come true. So many great Kiwi drivers have raced in it and gone on to do amazing things, so I am really looking forward to it.”
Looking ahead, Sharp said the campaign will be invaluable preparation before his European return.
“Having the whole off-season spent racing in such a competitive environment with some of the best up-and-coming drivers from around the world is the perfect preparation before heading back to Europe to continue my path towards F1.”
That path began much earlier, with Sharp first making his mark as a New Zealand karting champion before stepping into cars at just 13, debuting in Formula First at Manfeild.
Driving the very same car raced by fellow Tony Quinn Foundation Ambassador, and now Formula One driver, Liam Lawson five years earlier, he quickly showed he belonged in the fiercely competitive category.
From there, he progressed through the NZ Formula First Championship and into the South Island Formula 1600 Series, where he fought for the title and firmly established himself as a front-runner.
In 2022, he moved to the United Kingdom with Carlin to contest the British Formula 4 Championship. Despite missing the opening round, he impressed immediately with a podium on debut at Brands Hatch, added two victories across the year, and finished fourth overall. That same season, he also contested a one-off F4 UAE round, winning both races.
Sharp returned to British F4 in 2023, this time with Rodin Carlin, and delivered a dominant campaign with six victories and 14 podiums from 30 races to be crowned British F4 Champion. He carried that form into 2024, stepping up to the GB3 Championship where he again impressed, taking five wins on his way to the GB3 crown.
Shortly after securing the GB3 title, Rodin confirmed that they would run Sharp in the FIA Formula 3 Championship for 2025. That same summer, he also represented New Zealand at the Race of Champions in Sydney, Australia, lining up against some of the biggest names in world motorsport across Formula 1, IndyCar and World Rally.
His rookie FIA F3 campaign proved challenging against some of the world’s best young drivers on Europe’s toughest circuits, but he still delivered standout performances. Highlights included a fourth-place finish at Imola and a double points haul in Monaco, showing he could mix it with the very best. Sharp is now targeting a return to the FIA Formula 3 grid in 2026 as he continues to build towards the top of world motorsport.
With the Tony Quinn Foundation now backing his CTFROT campaign, Sharp will make his debut at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park on 9–11 January 2026, headlining Round 2 of the 2025/26 Repco NextGen NZ Championship.
The CTFROT season then runs over four consecutive weeks, finishing with the 70th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands Motorsport Park on 30 January – 1 February, which also forms part of the Repco NextGen NZ Championship.
Header Image: Supplied
