After just four weeks, the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy will wrap up its 2026 season with the New Zealand Grand Prix, while FR Middle East and UAE4 head to Dubai to begin the second halves of their seasons.

By Feeder Series

It’s over almost as quickly as it started. Just one month and one day into the new year, FR Oceania – the first single-seater championship we traditionally cover each year – will wrap up its 2026 season with the New Zealand Grand Prix. Nine drivers remain in mathematical title contention, though any of the grid’s 20 drivers could win one of the two active single-seater grands prix outside of the F1 calendar.

This weekend is also critical for the FR Middle East and UAE4 championships, which head to Dubai to support the 4 Hours of Dubai Asian Le Mans Series event. The former’s third round marks the first time the Tatuus T-326 chassis will be raced outside of the Yas Marina. 

Finally, several junior single-seater drivers will drive professional machinery in Formula E’s rookie-only free practice session Friday afternoon at the Miami E-Prix. F2’s Gabriele Minì and GB3’s Abbi Pulling will appear for Nissan, the only team running two drivers, with fellow GB3 driver Nikita Bedrin at DS Penske. The session will also feature Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger at Andretti, F1 Academy alumna Chloe Chambers at Mahindra, F3’s Alessandro Giusti at Jaguar, and Hoosier Formula Cup racer Hugh Barter at Lola. Cupra Kiro rookie Pepe Martí, eighth in F2 last year, will also participate in the session. 

1. FRegional Middle East: Round 3, Dubai
2. UAE4: Round 3, Dubai
3. FR Oceania: Round 4, Highlands

FRegional Middle East: Round 3, Dubai

Circuit: Dubai Autodrome, 5.390 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+4)

Thursday 29 January

• 13:45–14:45: Test session 1

Friday 30 January

• 9:15–10:15: Test session 2
• 15:15–16:15: Free practice

Saturday 31 January

• 8:50–9:05: Qualifying 1
• 9:10–9:25: Qualifying 2
• 12:35–13:10: Race 1

Sunday 1 February

• 8:55–9:30: Race 2
• 12:35–13:10: Race 3

How to follow: Qualifying sessions and races will be live-streamed with English commentary on the series’ official YouTube channel, while test sessions and free practice can be followed through RaceResults.

Weather forecast: Sunny on Friday and Saturday; partly cloudy on Sunday.

What to know: After back-to-back weekends at Yas Marina, the FR Middle East Trophy heads to the Dubai Autodrome for its third round of 2026.

Championship leader Rashid Al Dhaheri will race on home turf for the third weekend running. In a season that has seen four winners and 10 podium finishers in six races, the R-ace GP driver has racked up three wins in the last four races and now sits atop the standings with 103 points – 35 above his nearest rival, Kean Nakamura-Berta.

The 18-year-old picked up his first pole position and his maiden two FR podiums in round two, though he will need to get the better of Al Dhaheri consistently if he wants to swing the championship in his favour in the second half of the season. Third is Alex Powell with 49 points, with Alex Ninovic, Alexander Abkhazava and rookie Maksimilian Popov all tied on 46.

A record-tying 32 drivers will be racing in Dubai. CL Motorsport is back with their third car, with Reno Francot (#69) entering the series for the remaining two rounds to replace Michael Belov. A planned substitution at R-ace GP sees Emanuele Olivieri (#73) join for the second half of the season, thus relieving Gerrard Xie of his driving duties, while Christian Ho will be replaced at MP Motorsport by Jesse Carrasquedo (#16). Both Ho, signed to Rodin Motorsport’s F3 team, and Xie, widely expected to take the third DAMS seat, are expected to be in Barcelona for F3’s pre-season test from 10 to 12 February, when FR Middle East will be in Lusail for the season finale.

Report by Daniele Spadi

Read the previous round’s report here.

UAE4: Round 3, Dubai

Circuit: Dubai Autodrome, 5.390 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+4)

Thursday 29 January

• 10:45–11:45: Test session 1

Friday 30 January

• 8:00–9:00: Test session 2
• 14:00–15:00: Free practice

Saturday 31 January

• 8:00–8:15: Qualifying 1
• 8:20–8:35: Qualifying 2
• 11:30–12:05: Race 1

Sunday 1 February

• 8:00–8:35: Race 2
• 11:30–12:05: Race 3

How to follow: Qualifying sessions and races will be live-streamed with English commentary on the series’ official YouTube channel, while test sessions and free practice can be followed through RaceResults.

Weather forecast: Sunny on Friday and Saturday; partly cloudy on Sunday.

What to know: UAE4 heads from the Yas Marina Circuit to the Dubai Autodrome for its third round. 

Through the two Abu Dhabi rounds, Oleksandr Bondarev accumulated a 17-point lead over title rival Andy Consani. The pair have dominated the non-reversed races, finishing first and second in all four – with Bondarev coming out on top three times. They’ve also led the way in qualifying, with neither ever ending a qualifying session outside the top three. Bondarev took two poles, Consani one and Scott Kin Lindblom one as well. 

Lindblom looks on the up having finished third in both regular-grid races in round two. Kenzo Craigie, third in the standings, has also been strong, taking three half of the six rookie victories. Alongside Bondarev, he is the sole driver who has finished every race in the points, and the equalising factor of a new circuit makes him one to watch. 

Once again, 39 drivers are on the entry list for this weekend. Roman Felber (#73) replaces his twin brother, Cash Felber, at X-GP. Newly crowned SMP F4 Winter Series champion Vladimir Verkholantsev (#74) returns to Pinnacle Motorsport, taking his seat back from Sun Anzhe. At Evans GP, Rafael Vaessen (#68) will take over from Kasper Schormans, having recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of the first two rounds. 

Report by Calla Kra-Caskey

Read the previous round’s report here.

FR Oceania: Round 4, Highlands

Circuit: Highlands Motorsport Park, 4.100 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+13)

Thursday 29 January

• 12:40–13:10: Test session 1 
• 16:20–16:50: Test session 2

Friday 30 January

• 9:00–9:30: Free practice 1
• 11:45–12:15: Free practice 2

• 14:25–14:55: Free practice 3
• 17:20–17:48: Rescheduled race 3 (16 laps) 

Saturday 31 January

• 10:43–10:58: Qualifying – Segment 1
• 11:05–11:15: Qualifying  – Segment 2 
• 11:22–11:34: Qualifying – Segment 3 
• 15:51–16:19: Race 1 (18 laps) 

Sunday 1 February

• 11:50–12:18: Race 2 (18 laps) 
• 16:33–17:13: Race 3 (27 laps) 

How to follow: Sessions will be streamed on Sky Sport New Zealand and on the Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ YouTube channel. Live timing is available on Speedhive. 

Weather forecast: Sunny and dry all weekend. 

What to know: The finale of the 2026 FR Oceania season and the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix will take place this weekend at Highlands. 

Heading into the finale, Ugo Ugochukwu leads the standings with 237 points, ahead of teammate Freddie Slater. Slater’s double victory last weekend out in Teretonga – combined with a late off for Ugochukwu – cut the American’s lead to just 22 points, and the teammates will be looking to battle each other for the title. 

Third-placed Jin Nakamura should not be counted out either, as he only trails Slater by four points in the standings. Louis Sharp is also not far behind, sitting fourth with 207 points, with teammate Ryan Wood in fifth with 202. 

James Wharton (#13) will race this weekend in Highlands after missing the Teretonga round for his F3 testing duties with Prema Racing. Liam Sceats (#23), the winner of the 2024 New Zealand Grand Prix, will also make an appearance this weekend, racing with TJ Speed with HMD Motorsports. 

The schedule for this weekend will be slightly more packed, with the postponed third race from Teretonga Park taking place Friday afternoon. Wharton and Sceats will not be racing the rescheduled race as they were not present last weekend. 

Report by Kaylene Lau

Read the previous round’s report here.

All times and forecasts listed above are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, follow each series’ websites or social media pages.

Header photo credit: John Cowpland / Bruce Jenkins Photography