Toyota Racing Series

Charlie Wurz wins 2023 Toyota Formula Regional Oceania title

Andrew Rickert

Feb 12, 2023 — 2 min read

Charlie Wurz has won the 2023 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional championship after a decisive victory in the Taupo season finale.

Charlie Wurz celebrates on the podium after taking out the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania title. *(Bruce Jenkins / Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ)*

Wurz qualified on pole and built a dominant lead throughout the race, holding off the chasing pack at a safety car restart to take the chequered flag and championship victory.

The pack was scattered after an incident on the opening lap, with the top three driving away as the field slowed to avoid the accident.

Wurz led Liam Sceats and Laurens van Hoepen but the real battle was for second, with Wurz building a three-second lead before the safety car neutralised the field.

Championship rival Callum Hedge emerged in fifth from the opening melee, stuck behind fellow Kiwi Kaleb Ngatoa.

He was able to make a drastic move past his countryman after a lap of wheel-to-wheel racing, but was unable to chase down the lead pack.

Wurz took out the championship in its first year as a Formula Regional series, winning the Denny Hulme Trophy for the feature race and earning 18 Super Licence points.

“I can’t feel any better,” said Wurz.

“I mean that race was the most difficult to win of this championship for me because it started raining a lot, I was so afraid of going off and I had to keep Laurens behind me.”

“Luckily I got a bit of a gap and could relax a bit but then the safety car came out and I thought ‘Oh no’ so I had to get it all right in the restart but fortunately it was OK.”

“This gives me a lot of confidence going into Europe. I know the competition is tough over there but it has been strong here.”

“I’ve learned a lot about racing in New Zealand.”

Highest-ranked Aussie Ryder Quinn finished seventh in the standings, one point behind American David Morales.

The top nine drivers in the championship standings receive Super Licence points: Charlie Wurz, Callum Hedge (NZ), Jacob Abel, Liam Sceats (NZ), James Penrose (NZ), David Morales, Ryder Quinn (AUS), Josh Mason, and Chloe Chambers.

2023 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania - Taupo Race 3