Rovanperä, Slater… Why you absolutely must follow the FR Oceania in January

This is the usual first step to kick off the resumption of the world championships. Formula Regional is exported at the beginning of the year to all corners of the globe, whether in Oceania (FROC) or the Middle East (FRMEC), allowing drivers to hone their skills before the serious competition begins. While last year's FRMEC pitted Frenchman Evan Giltaire, the champion, against Briton Freddie Slater, the future FRECA champion, the FROC was largely dominated by Arvid Lindblad, who will make his debut in Formula 1 with Racing Bulls.

Without meaning any disrespect to the Briton's title, it must be said that the competition wasn't particularly fierce, as his runner-up, Zack Soular, went on to finish only 34th in Eurocup-3. But in 2026, it will be a different story, and succeeding Arvid Lindblad in the record books will require a real fight.

Rovanperä's debut in single-seaters

Firstly, the championship will host the long-awaited debut in car by Kalle Rovanperä. The double world champion WRC has decided to give his career a 90° turn and is tackling the circuits, hoping to achieve the same success as in rallyThis will require patience and dedication, especially since within his Hitech team he will be competing against names well known to followers of promotional formulas.

Japanese drivers Kanato Le (14th in FRECA) and Jin Nakamura (10th in FRECA) will represent the British team, as will Irishman Fionn McLaughlin, who recently won the British F4 championship and will make his F3 debut with Hitech. Another driver announced in Formula 3 With AIX Racing, Sri Lankan Yevan David, second in Euroformula, will be fielded by Kiwi Motorsport.

James Wharton, who finished 18th in his first full F3 season with ART, will carry the hopes of HMD Motorsports before joining Prema for another season in the third tier of international motorsport. Finally, Louis Sharp, who represented New Zealand at the last Race of Champions and competed in the F3 season with Rodin (finishing 26th), will drive for mtec Motorsport.

However, it's M2 Competition that will be the team to watch most closely: the New Zealand-based squad will include FRECA champion Freddie Slater, who is expected to join the Audi F1 Academy. Having missed out on the FRMEC title to Evan Giltaire last year, the Briton arrives with high ambitions, especially as he will also be one of the favorites for the F3 season, which he will contest with Trident. While the Italian team has won the last two drivers' championships with Gabriel Bortoleto and Rafael Câmara, they will be counting, among other things, on the 17-year-old Stratford-upon-Avon native's hopes of achieving a hat trick.

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Slater as favorite

Freddie Slater will be competing against drivers he will encounter on the F3 grid, such as Ugo Ugochukwu, winner of the Macau GP in 2024 and a member of the academy. McLaren until recently. The American and the Briton already know each other well since Ugochukwu finished 3rd in the FRMEC in 2025, behind Evan Giltaire and Freddie Slater.

Also at M2 Competition, keep an eye on Mexican Ernesto Rivera, a member of the Red Bull Junior Team and fourth in Eurocup-3, where he was teammate of Frenchman Jules Caranta at Campos. It is also with the Spanish team that the three-time Eurocup-3 winner will discover F3 alongside Ugo Ugochukwu, his teammate also in FROC.

Finally, a more surprising profile has slipped into the list of participants: that of Nolan Aller, who usually races in Indy NXT, the second division of theIndyCarWhile he usually races for HMD Motorsports in the United States, this time he will participate in the FROC with Giles Motorsport.

As you can see, there will be plenty to follow during the four race weekends at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park (January 9-11), Taupo International Motorsport Park (January 16-18), Teretonga Park (January 23-25), and finally Highlands Motorsport Park (January 30-February 1). The championship will be covered on AUTOhebdo.fr.