Kalle Rovanperä reached an important milestone at Teretonga Park by finishing third in Race 1 of Round 3 of the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT). In a weekend dominated by rain, red flags and constant uncertainty, the Hitech TGR driver combined patience and instinct to claim his first podium in single-seater racing.
A tricky qualifying sets the tone for Rovanperä at Teretonga Park
From the outset, difficult conditions shaped Rovanperä’s weekend. Heavy rain and repeated interruptions limited meaningful running and forced drivers to make the most of every available lap. Reflecting on the overall challenge, Rovanperä said:
“That it was overall quite a tricky day, to be honest. Like the guys have already said, qualifying in really tricky conditions, and then, yeah, just red flags all the time. Not really able to put your best out there, so you just need to get some lap in early on and hope that it’s good enough. But, yeah, we then got a good starting place with some penalties, and the race pace was pretty good. Slippery conditions, though.”
Despite the disruption, he positioned himself well on the grid and carried that advantage into a race where consistency proved decisive.
Rovanperä on finding rhythm in low-grip conditions at Teretonga Park to claim first 2026 CTFROT podium
Once the race began, Rovanperä leaned on his comfort in slippery conditions to extract performance while others struggled. Rather than fighting the car, he focused on adapting to grip levels and responding instinctively. He explained his preference clearly:
“Yeah, actually, in some ways, it feels a bit more natural. You can just drive much more by your feeling and then adapt to what you need to do with the car in order to be fast. On dry, it’s the same, but it’s on a much smaller scale, let’s say. So, you need to do much more things, maybe, which don’t feel natural. So, in the rain, at least, you can just trust your feeling and, yeah, if you have the grip in the car, you can do it.“
That approach allowed him to remain composed through safety car interruptions and changing conditions, ultimately securing a place on the podium.
Podium ambition from the start
Although the result marked his first single-seater podium, Rovanperä made it clear that such outcomes always form part of his expectations. When asked whether the podium arrived sooner than expected, he replied simply: “Yeah, of course, always. You need to aim for the podium since the Race 1.”
In a race defined by survival and smart decision-making, Rovanperä’s performance underlined both his adaptability and his ambition as he continues his single-seater progression.
