Competitive NAPA New Zealand Formula Ford Championship underway this weekend at Teretonga

Another highly competitive NAPA New Zealand Formula Ford Championship supported by Ford gets underway this weekend at the Ascot Park Hotel Teretonga Park International in Invercargill. Thirteen young drivers – all but three under the age of 16 years-old – will battle over four rounds to become the 55th NZ Formula Ford champion.

The championship was launched on Tuesday with all entrants, teams, family, sponsors, media and supporters gathering at the Mount Lyford home of Rodin Cars where drivers partook in several convoy-led laps of the Rodin track. The announcement of Ford’s renewed involvement with the championship was followed with speeches by both the current NZ champion Blake Dowdall and the very first title holder David Oxton.

Rodin Cars are again giving the winner of the Championship, plus a wildcard, a three- day free test at their facility at Mt Lyford with the opportunity for further testing in a Formula 4 car in the UK as part of their Formula Ford to F1 programme.

Eight rookies make up the field which includes three Australians and ten Kiwis facing 15 races across two rounds in the South and two in the North Islands.

“I’ve got a bit of confidence heading into the weekend,” said South Island Formula Ford Championship (SIFF) points leader Marco Manson. “I just have to do my best.”

Current North Island series leader Campbell Owens also carries a lot of confidence in his car speed having come away from the latest round in Feilding with three race wins including the prestigious Dan Higgins Trophy. However, for Campbell it will be a new circuit to learn within three Friday practice sessions before qualifying on Saturday morning.

“I’ve never been there,” said Campbell. “It will be a whole new learning experience for me as it will be a big meeting at a track I haven’t been to.”

Also, in the frame for race wins and podiums is Toby McCormack who finished third in last season’s title fight. Dylan Petch, who is currently second in the SIFF, will be the most experienced driver on the grid. Rookie Maxim Kirwan from Auckland has been campaigning in the south this season gaining local track knowledge. Australian Seb Eskandari-Marandi may be the rookie to watch proving quick in testing. Coming from a kartsport background, this weekend will be his first-ever car races. Fellow Australian Mathew Basso already has experience competing in NZ while Auckland’s Olivia Lorenzen is the first female driver to join the championship since Bree Morris competed in 2022.

The championship continues to be supported by the Tony Quinn Foundation, this season with a $60,000.00 Travel Fund to be shared between each entrant that competes in all four rounds of the championship. Included in this is the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Pole Award of $1010.10 for fastest qualifier at each round.

The Foundation will offer, for the first time, a $10,000 in cash for the overall champion.

Also making a significant contribution to the championship is Steve Horne of Tasman Motorsports Group who has put in $5000.00 to help with the cost of competing at Round 1 at Teretonga.

NAPA will again offer prizes for Driver of the Day at rounds 2-4 while Yokohama return to the series as the tyre of choice for Formula Ford Racing in NZ.

The four-round championship gets underway with three races in Invercargill with the second round one week later at the Timaru International Raceway 31 Jan-1 Feb (four races). The final two rounds take place in the North Island with four races at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park which includes the Ron Frost Trophy race, 14-15 March and four races at the Taupo International Raceway, which includes the Morrie Smith Memorial Trophy race, 27-29 March 2026.

Qualifying takes place on Saturday morning with the first race later that afternoon. Two races take place on Sunday.