CTFROT | 2026 | Round 4 | Highlands

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Fast laps, changing track conditions and a dramatic late crash combined to produce an absorbing Friday at Highlands Motorsport Park, where the final round of the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT) burst into life with three Free Practice sessions.

Across three highly competitive practice sessions, Jin Nakamura, Zack Scoular and Ryan Wood each topped the timing screens, underlining both the depth of talent in the field and the unpredictable nature of the weekend ahead — particularly with the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix looming large.

Nakamura leads a blisteringly fast opening practice session at Highlands

With cool air and ideal grip levels, the first practice session delivered immediate fireworks. Jin Nakamura set the benchmark for Hitech, edging out James Wharton by just four hundredths of a second as teams focused firmly on outright pace rather than long-run simulations.

Importantly, the field ran remarkably close. From Nakamura at the front to Jack Taylor in 18th, every driver lapped well under the 1m30s mark, with just over a second covering the entire group. As a result, the session resembled qualifying more than practice — a clear sign of how pivotal Saturday’s grid-setting session will be.

Meanwhile, championship leader Ugo Ugochukwu again featured prominently, followed closely by Kanato Le, Yuanpu Cui and Freddie Slater.

Among the New Zealand contingent, Liam Sceats impressed as the fastest Kiwi, narrowly ahead of Ryan Wood, Louis Sharp and Red Bull Junior Ernesto Rivera.

Sceats shines as drama unfolds in Free Practice 2

Momentum carried into the second session as Sceats continued his strong form, briefly leading a Kiwi 1-2-3 alongside Wood and Scoular. However, as temperatures rose and grip marginally fell, lap times stabilised and the lead changed hands several times.

Sharp, Nakamura, Ugochukwu and then Zack Scoular all took turns at the top as the session evolved into another fiercely contested affair. Behind them, Slater, Wharton and Rivera remained firmly in touch, reinforcing the championship’s trademark depth.

Nevertheless, the session ended abruptly. With just over seven minutes remaining, Scoular suffered a heavy impact at the unforgiving final corner after setting the fastest lap and threatening an even quicker one. Although the mtec Motorsport FT60 sustained significant damage, Scoular emerged unharmed.

Consequently, the red flag brought practice to a premature close, leaving Scoular fastest ahead of Ugochukwu, Sceats and Nakamura.

Wood controls final session as focus shifts to race trim

By the third and final practice, teams clearly adjusted priorities. With higher fuel loads and warmer conditions, lap times slowed, signalling a shift towards race preparation ahead of the evening points-paying contest.

In that context, Ryan Wood stood out. The mtec Motorsport driver topped the session from start to finish, setting a best time of 1:28.722. Although slower than earlier benchmarks, the lap underlined Wood’s consistency and race readiness.

James Wharton followed closely, while Sceats once again caught the eye. Despite being ineligible for the evening race, the 2024 Grand Prix winner maximised his running to finish third fastest. Sharp ensured three Kiwis featured in the top four, while Yevan David continued his steady improvement with a strong fifth.

Further back, Ugochukwu maintained solid form, and both Nakamura and Slater stayed well within striking distance as attention turned firmly towards qualifying and the Grand Prix itself.

Three practices a perfect prelude to a decisive 2026 CTFROT weekend at Highlands

Ultimately, Friday’s action at Highlands Motorsport Park delivered exactly what the final round demanded: speed, tension and unpredictability. With multiple drivers showing front-running pace and championship contenders closely matched, Saturday’s qualifying session now looms as a defining moment — not just for race one, but for the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix.