P1racenews AI automatic summary:
A prestigious victory for this former McLaren junior at the start of the 2026 racing season.
Former McLaren F1 junior driver Ugo Ugochukwu has won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship, defeating Audi junior Freddie Slater in the final round at Highlands Motorsport Park.
The championship spanned four rounds starting in early January and featured the single-seater debut of WRC champion Kalle Rovapera, who is gearing up for Super Formula.
Ugochukwu’s campaign included four wins and two additional podium finishes en route to claiming the title.
Although no longer with McLaren’s junior programme, Ugochukwu had a successful start to the 2026 season, following in the footsteps of past champions like Lando Norris and Lance Stroll.
Moving forward, both Ugochukwu and Slater will compete in the Formula 3 championship this year for Campos and Trident teams, respectively.
