Nigerian-American Driver Ugochukwu Claims Formula Regional Oceania Title in New Zealand

Nigerian American racing driver Ugo Ugochukwu has secured the 2026 Formula Regional Oceania Trophy championship after a season defined by consistency, finishing 15 points clear of Audi backed British rival Freddie Slater at the final round held at Highlands Motorsport Park over the weekend.

The 18 year old driver, competing for M2 Competition, clinched the title with four victories from 15 races and reached the podium at every round of the championship. He finished outside the top 10 only twice throughout the entire campaign, accumulating 326 points to Slater’s 310 points by the season’s conclusion.

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Ugochukwu, born in New York City to Nigerian supermodel Oluchi Onweagba and Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi, made a decisive statement early in the campaign with back to back victories at Hampton Downs in January. Those wins proved crucial as the season progressed, giving him a championship advantage he maintained through to the final weekend.

The title fight nearly unravelled during the season ending New Zealand Grand Prix when a suspension failure forced Ugochukwu into the pits late in qualifying. Although M2 Competition repaired the car in time for him to progress, a technical breach relating to the suspension resulted in the American being relegated to 13th position on the grid for the feature race.

Despite the setback, Ugochukwu secured the championship with seventh and ninth place finishes in the final two races, benefiting from his victory the previous day that extended his lead over Slater. The pressure mounted as Slater won the postponed first race at the final weekend, but performance issues prevented the British driver from making the breakthrough needed to overtake Ugochukwu in the standings.

The championship, held over four consecutive weekends across January and February, marked the inaugural season of the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy after the series was rebranded from the Toyota Racing Series. The competition saw M2 Competition defend their Teams Championship title for the fourth consecutive year.

Ugochukwu credited his early momentum for shaping the outcome of the championship. He stated that Hampton Downs provided the perfect start, giving him a comfortable advantage to build into the rest of the season. He acknowledged that the final day required focus on securing necessary points and bringing the championship home.

The series marked Ugochukwu’s first major campaign since departing from McLaren following sweeping changes to the team’s junior development programme in November. He had been part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme since March 2021, when the team signed him to a long term deal at age 13 following his victory in the FIA OK Junior European Karting Championship.

Louis Sharp of Mtec Motorsport finished third overall with 295 points and claimed the Tasman Cup as the highest placed Australian or New Zealand driver. Ryan Wood, Sharp’s teammate, won the Rookie Championship title with three races remaining in the season. Japanese driver Jin Nakamura placed fourth with 293 points for Hitech TGR.

The championship attracted a diverse field of international drivers, including World Rally Championship champion Kalle Rovanpera, who made his single seater debut in preparation for a Super Formula campaign scheduled for later this year. The Finnish driver secured a podium finish and demonstrated competitive pace despite being new to formula racing.

Ugochukwu will now shift focus to the FIA Formula 3 Championship, where he begins his second season with Campos Racing. He finished 16th overall in the 2025 campaign with Prema Racing, securing two podium finishes at Silverstone and Budapest. His 2026 Formula 3 season starts on March 6 to 8 at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The American driver achieved a historic victory at the Macau Grand Prix in November 2024, becoming the first American winner of the prestigious event in 43 years. He led from pole position in challenging wet conditions around the narrow Guia Circuit, demonstrating his ability to perform under pressure on demanding street circuits.

Born on April 23, 2007, Ugochukwu began his motorsport career in karting at age six after a go karting experience in upstate New York. He progressed through American and European karting championships, winning the Micro ROK Cup USA in 2014 and the Florida Winter Tour in 2015 before moving to compete in Italy.

His transition to single seaters began in 2022 with the British Formula 4 Championship, where he finished third overall for Carlin alongside securing the Rookie Cup title. He took pole position on his debut weekend at Donington Park and claimed race victories at Brands Hatch and Knockhill during the season.

Ugochukwu continued his development with Prema Racing in 2023, finishing as runner up in the Italian Formula 4 Championship while winning the inaugural Euro 4 Championship. He also secured third place in the Formula 4 UAE Championship during the same year, establishing himself as a consistent frontrunner across multiple series.

The Formula Regional Oceania Trophy served as valuable preparation for Ugochukwu ahead of his Formula 3 campaign, providing extensive seat time and experience on unfamiliar circuits. The championship featured 15 races across four rounds held at Hampton Downs, Taupo International Motorsport Park, Teretonga Park, and Highlands Motorsport Park.

Weather disruptions affected the third round at Teretonga Park, with qualifying sessions red flagged multiple times due to rain. The second race was postponed to the following day, with the third race moved to the final round at Highlands. Ugochukwu adapted well to the challenging conditions, securing his third victory of the season during the wet weekend.

The championship victory represents a significant milestone for Ugochukwu as he continues his progression through the junior formula ranks toward potential Formula 1 opportunities. At 1.92 meters tall, he stands notably taller than most racing drivers, an uncommon trait in motorsport that has not hindered his performance in competitive cockpits.

Campos Racing, his 2026 Formula 3 team, finished as championship runners up in the 2025 season. Ugochukwu joins teammates Theophile Nael and Ernesto Rivera, who also competed against him in the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy with M2 Competition and Kiwi Motorsport respectively.