Marco Manson crowned 2026 NZ Formula Ford champion

Auckland’s Marco Manson was the clear winner of the 2026 Formula Ford Championship after taking maximum points at the fourth and final round held at the Taupo Motorsport Park over the weekend. Second overall was Sebastian Eskandari from Christchurch followed by Auckland’s Maxim Kirwan in third.

“It is pretty cool to win,” said Manson. “There are lots of top names on the trophy.”

Manson has been the quickest competitor across the 15 races held over four rounds and continued his form in Taupo making a clean sweep of all four races including the 15-lap Morrie Smith Memorial Trophy race.

First, he added a fourth Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy $1,010.10 cash prize by setting fastest lap in qualifying before winning the opening race on Saturday afternoon ahead of Campbell Owens and Kirwan. The 12-lap race had Eskandari twice in the lead, only to fall back into the clutches of a second bunch fighting for positions two to nine.

“It (Race 1) was really close, but I think I have got a really well setup car by Tom (Penrose) which helped me break the tow and it worked from there,” said Manson.

Despite crossing the line in second, Campbell was to lose all points for the final two NZFF and North Island Formula Ford (NIFF) rounds after post season scrutineering disqualified his car for a technical infringement.

“Gutted would be an understatement,” commented Owens. “It’s far from the ending we wanted for our season. I can’t thank everyone for their support and a massive congrats to Marco.”

The 12-laps of Race 2 on Sunday morning once again saw Manson take the win but this time it was Cantabrian Dylan Petch who rose to second place ahead of Eskandari and Toby Musico.

Petch was again on the podium in Race 3 finishing behind Manson and Eskandari followed by Musico and Jacob Begg. Both Eskandari and Campbell got passed Manson who appeared to settle for the points and securing the championship title. However, contact between the front two toward the end of the race handed back the lead and victory to Manson.

The finale Morrie Smith Memorial Trophy race proved to be much closer with Manson having to make up ground after losing the lead to Owens and Eskandari.

“It was a good race and (I) got a bit of a lead and a little bit of a gap until I made a silly mistake midway through,” said Manson. “I fell back to third but was able to get back to the lead in the end.”

Manson, who won the Stephen Gillard Memorial Trophy for the NZ Formula Ford Rookie of the Year, also picked up the NAPA Driver of the Day and won the round from Eskandari and Petch.

The event also doubled as the fifth and final round of the 2025/26 Giltrap Group North Island Formula Ford Series (NIFF) with the title going to William Beck who finished 64-points ahead of Oliver Sentch with Toby McCormack in third. Beck also picked up the NIFF Rookie of the Year award.

Rookie James Collie went home with the NIFF Class 2 title. Sitting second overall heading into the meeting, Jack Groenewald had an engine drama in testing on Friday and withdrew from the round. Toby McCormack was in a strong position to finish runner up but a crash in Race 2 saw him also withdrawing from the remaining two races.

Winning the NZFF title sees Manson gain a three-day all expenses paid test with Rodin Cars at their Mount Lyford facility in North Canterbury while Eskandari was awarded a wildcard entry. Both will test a McLaren GT4, Formula 4 and 3 cars as well as Sim work and a tour of the facility. Both have the opportunity for further testing in a Formula 4 car in the UK as part of their Formula Ford to F1 programme.

“Happy to get second in the championship,” said Eskandari. “Marco (Manson) did a really good job throughout the season. I wasn’t expecting a top three, so it was a big surprise to receive the Wildcard entry from Rodin so really thankful and looking forward to going to their facility.”

The championship was supported by Yokohama, the tyre of choice for Formula Ford Racing in NZ. The Tony Quinn Foundation provided a $60,000.00 Travel Fund shared between each entrant that competed in all four rounds of the championship. Included in this is the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Pole Award.

The Foundation also offered, for the first time, $10,000 in cash for the overall champion.