Nineteen year old Nicholas Monteiro will be hoping to put his name on the international radar as Brazil’s next single seater racing star when he steps aboard his MTEC Motorsport-run Toyota FT60 for the forthcoming Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship.
The Sao Paulo driver will be making his first racing trip to the Oceania region, having raced in his homeland in its junior formulae before heading to the United States. He was a podium finisher in both the Copa Brasil de Fórmula Delta and Formula 4 Brazil before heading to the USA to further his career at the end of 2022.
In 2023 he finished inside the top 20 championship finishers in 19th in what is regarded as one of world motorsport’s most competitive F4 championships and notably finished in every race. He improved further in 2024 regularly finishing in the top ten on his way to 13th overall in the championship – and again finished every race.
His experience isn’t limited exclusively to the Americas, however, and he has competed in Europe in the Italian Formula 4 Championship. The trip to New Zealand for its international championship, along with his debut in the more powerful Formula Regional car, is a step up he’s looking forward to.
“I am thrilled that I will be joining MTEC Racing for the 2025 Formula Regional Oceania season,” he explained.
“This is a team I’ve admired for a long time, and I’m honoured to embark on this exciting new chapter with them. Representing Brazil on this journey fills me with immense pride.
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone at MTEC for believing in my potential and trusting in our shared talent. I really want to make this season one to remember.”
Monteiro is another strong contender in MTEC’s line up for the forthcoming championship, which gets underway at the Taupo International Motorsport Park next month, and he joins a team that so far includes Americans Josh Pierson and Shawn Rashid, Australian Patrick Heuzenroeder and Kiwi Zack Scoular.
MTEC boss Bruin Beasley says there is a buzz in the air at his team as the drivers have been confirmed, and Monteiro’s inclusion is another exciting development.
“Nicholas comes to CTFROC off the back a competitive 2024 program,” he said. “We are excited to have him in MTEC. We will all be pushing and I’m sure he will prove to be one to watch in what is already a very competitive looking field.”
The championship – this season heavily promoted by national NZ summer series promoters NextGen – boasts more than 3,000 km of testing, practice, qualifying and racing mileage with all drivers competing in identical Tatuus-based Toyota FT60 cars.
The first round at Taupo International Motorsport Park is followed by back-to-back weekends at several of New Zealand’s most challenging and iconic tracks before it concludes at the fifth and final round in February with the 69th NZ Grand Prix at the Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand’s South Island.
Words & Images: Supplied
