CTFROT | 2026 | Round 2 | Taupo | Race 3 | Scoular converts pole to victory in dominant showing at Taupo - Motorsport

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Unlike the wet conditions that defined the morning’s Qualifying session, Race 3 of Round 2 of the 2026 CTFROT unfolded on a drying circuit at Taupo. With grip steadily improving, mtec Motorsport’s Zack Scoular converted pole position into a commanding victory, controlling the race from the early laps and fending off sustained pressure behind.

Grid set for a strategic 2026 CTFROT Race 3 at Taupo

Scoular lined up on pole after setting the fastest combined lap time from Races 1 and 2. M2 Competition’s Freddie Slater joined him on the front row, while Race 1 winner Ryan Wood started third alongside HMD Motorsport with TJ Speed’s James Wharton, who won Race 2, in fourth.

Behind them, championship leader Ugo Ugochukwu lined up fifth for M2 Competition, alongside Hitech TGR’s Fionn McLaughlin, who claimed his best starting position of the season in sixth. Louis Sharp started seventh for mtec Motorsport, next to M2 Competition’s Ernesto Rivera, with Jin Nakamura and Yevan David completing the top ten.

Further back, Sebastian Manson, Kanato Le, Yuanpu Cui and Cooper Shipman filled positions 11 to 14, while Kalle Rovanperä and Ricardo Baptista shared row eight. Giles Motorsport teammates Jack Taylor and Nolan Allaer occupied the penultimate row, with Trevor LaTourrette starting 19th.

Slater strikes early as Scoular responds

At the start, Slater launched strongly and swept past Scoular to seize the race lead. Behind them, Wharton passed Wood for third, while Rivera and McLaughlin contested sixth. McLaughlin initially held position, although Sharp quickly joined the fight.

However, the order soon reshuffled. Scoular reclaimed the lead within the opening lap and immediately began to pull clear, opening a 1.399-second gap to Slater. Wood recovered third, while Sharp surged from seventh to fifth by passing Ugochukwu. In contrast, McLaughlin dropped sharply down the order to 12th after losing momentum through the opening corners.

Early battles and midfield turmoil

As the race settled into its rhythm, Le moved forward by passing David and Manson to reach ninth, while Baptista slipped to 18th. On Lap 2, Ugochukwu responded by repassing Sharp for fifth, as Wood closed in on Slater in the battle for second.

Although gaps remained small across the field, overtaking opportunities began to diminish after Lap 3. Even so, Le continued his progress by passing Nakamura for eighth. At the front, Scoular extended his advantage to more than two seconds.

Meanwhile, Rivera lost ground to Le after a lock-up but immediately fought back using push-to-pass. Their wheel-to-wheel battle forced Le off the road briefly, though he recovered and resumed the fight. Behind them, Cui climbed to tenth after winning several close duels.

Disaster then struck for Ugochukwu, who dropped dramatically to 16th. Soon after, Le also lost ground and fell to 12th, with Race Control later noting his earlier clash with Rivera.

On Lap 7, David attacked Rivera for seventh but locked up and ran wide, allowing Manson to apply pressure. In the ensuing melee, contact between Manson and McLaughlin sent Manson into a spin. Although he rejoined, he dropped deep into the field.

Rivera used the chaos behind to stabilise seventh, while McLaughlin began an impressive recovery drive, passing Cui for ninth on lap 9. Out front, Scoular continued to lead comfortably, with Slater also establishing a clear margin over Wood.

Warnings, penalties and late drama

As the race progressed, several drivers came under scrutiny for track-limit violations, adding further tension. David briefly recovered pace and renewed his attack on Rivera but slid off on Lap 13 and fell back once more.

By Lap 15, Scoular held a lead of over four seconds. Slater remained securely second, well clear of Wood, who in turn enjoyed a comfortable gap over Sharp in fourth. Nevertheless, midfield action persisted as McLaughlin passed Rivera for seventh, while Ugochukwu recovered to 12th.

On Lap 17, Le, Cui and Rivera went three-wide down the straight. With Le and Cui both using push-to-pass, Rivera dropped to tenth, while Le emerged eighth. Soon after, the stewards issued Manson with a drive-through penalty for an earlier Turn 7 incident, relegating him to the back.

On the final lap, Cui suffered a puncture while running ninth, dropping him out of contention. At the same time, David passed Rivera just metres before the finish to secure ninth place.

Scoular cruises to Race 3 victory at Taupo

At the front, Scoular remained unchallenged and crossed the line more than seven seconds clear to secure a dominant Race 3 victory. Slater finished second, with Wood completing the podium. Sharp and Wharton rounded out the top five after relatively trouble-free runs.

Further back, Ugochukwu crossed the line 13th, behind Allaer and Shipman, who both passed him in the closing stages.