Ugo Ugochukwu secured the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy after a season built on consistency, clinching the title with four victories from 15 races and finishing 15 points ahead of Audi-backed rival Freddie Slater.
The Nigerian-born American made an immediate impact, opening the campaign with back-to-back wins at Hampton Downs — a decisive start that set the tone for the rest of the season. He stood on the podium at every round and finished outside the top 10 only twice all year.
“It’s an amazing feeling to cross the line,” Ugochukwu said after the New Zealand Grand Prix. “The race felt way longer than usual. I’m just happy to get it done, get it over with, and secure the championship.
“It’s been a really good season. I can’t thank the whole team enough — they did a mega job all year, and I’m happier for them than even for myself.”
Ugochukwu credited his early momentum for shaping the title run. “Hampton Downs was the perfect start and gave me a nice advantage to build on,” he said. “Today was just about getting the points we needed and bringing it home.”
The championship nearly slipped away at the season-ending New Zealand Grand Prix after a suspension failure disrupted his qualifying session. Although M2 Competition repaired the car in time for him to continue, a technical infringement related to the suspension resulted in the 18-year-old being demoted to 13th on the grid for the feature race.
“It hasn’t been easy,” he admitted. “We were a bit unlucky in Q1, which was disappointing. I would have loved to fight for the New Zealand Grand Prix, but I had to put that aside, focus on the bigger picture, and secure the championship — and that’s what we did.”
The Oceania campaign marked his first major series since parting ways with McLaren following changes to its junior programme. With the title secured, Ugochukwu will now turn his attention to the FIA Formula 3 Championship, where he is set to begin his second season with Campos Racing.
After finishing 16th overall last year — including two podium finishes — his 2026 F3 campaign will begin at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from March 6–8.
