As Scoular raced across the line to become the 33rd Kiwi to win the race and add his name to the Motor Cup, American Ugo Ugochukwu followed him home in ninth place to claim the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy.
In doing so, Ugochukwu broke British rival Freddie Slater’s cycle of winning every championship he has contested.
A valiant effort by Jin Nakamura — celebrating his 20th birthday — and Kanato Le came up just a few car lengths short, but the pair, two of Japan’s most significant rising stars, claimed the remaining places on the podium.
After a challenging 2025 on and off the track, NZ Grand Prix glory was the best way for 18-year-old Scoular to start the year and a new chapter in his motor racing career.
‘‘We’ve had the speed all weekend and we believed we could win it,’’ the Mtec Motorsport driver said after the race.
‘‘The start was fantastic and that really set us up for the rest of the race.
‘‘To win the New Zealand Grand Prix... what can I say? It’s absolutely amazing to know my name will be added to those on that trophy and for me the best possible way to end my single-seater career as I head off to a new chapter in LMP3 this year.’’
The championship had come down to two drivers. Ugochukwu and Slater had been the standout performers across all four rounds, and 26 points stood between Ugochukwu at the top of the points table and Slater in second before the race began.
Scoular was the man with pace and was dragging the two Japanese drivers in their silver FT60s with him as he built an advantage.
As the race reached the halfway point, Scoular held station and the order remained unchanged but lap 11 brought out the first safety car as Australian Jack Taylor went into the wall on the exit of the penultimate corner.
Scoular set the fastest lap of the race on lap 21, increased his lead to over 1sec and never looked back.
- A barnstorming feature race at Highlands marked a fitting end to an intense weekend of racing in the fourth round of the Bridgestone GR86 Championship.
Blenheim driver Arthur Broughan had been the fastest man all weekend but had to wait until the 12-lap feature to enjoy the chequered flag.
Cooper Barnes was an impressive second, while Chris White claimed yet another serious haul of points for third.
- Fourteen-year-old Ajay Giddy, of Silverdale, claimed overall honours in the fourth round of the Mazda Racing Super Series.
Giddy was fourth in the opening race before winning the second and third. The teenager also posted the fastest lap in all three races. — Allied Media
