Wharton will follow up F2 debut with championship challenge in NZ
Australian James Wharton – who made his F2 debut over the Qatar GP weekend and who will race with Prema in FIA F3 in 2026, will begin the year challenging for New Zealand’s premier motorsport championship title.
Wharton – 19 - will use the Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Trophy as a warm up for his second season in F3 in 2026.
He will run with new team TJ Speed with HMD Motorsports for his New Zealand campaign, which begins next month and concludes with the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting in February and Highlands International Motorsport Park.
The Australian is another high profile junior formula star heading to NZ for what is fast-becoming the preferred season opener for a growing number of drivers aiming for F1 and Indycar.
As well as a season in FIA F3, Wharton has experience in Formula 4, in Formula Regional and has raced at the Macau Grand Prix. He is happy to be heading to New Zealand and to a series with a proven track record.
“This championship has a fine reputation throughout the world in junior formula racing and I see it as a very natural step in exactly the right time in my career,” he said. “I’ve got to trust in that process and do the best I can with a great team around me.”
Career highlights include winning the Formula 4 UAE Championship in 2023 and finishing runner-up in the Euro F4 Championship in 2023 and the Formula Regional European Championship in 2024.
He made his FIA Formula 2 debut recently at Qatar with Trident and is another with a stellar background in karting in the earlier stages of his career. He was also a member of the Ferrari Junior Academy for three years.
TJ Speed with HMD Motorsports is one of two new teams to have joined the New Zealand championship since it strategically reduced its season from five to four rounds to avoid clashes with northern hemisphere testing. A high quality field is promised.
Fans will be able to follow the championship easily. Qualifying will be livestreamed on TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s YouTube channel. Races will also be on that channel and on SkySport domestically in New Zealand. Races will also be streamed live on the Motorsport.TV platform.
2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy
Rd1 9-11 January - Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park
Rd2 16-18 January - Taupo International Motorsport Park
Rd3 23-25 January - Teretonga Raceway, Invercargill
Rd4 30 Jan -1st Feb - 70th New Zealand Grand Prix – Highlands International Motorsport Park
