Rovanperä’s formula career got under way this weekend in the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy in New Zealand. In the main race at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, Rovanperä lined up ninth on the grid.
He lost one position immediately at the start, and it did not take long before the Finn’s race came to a complete halt. Rovanperä was battling Sebastian Manson for position when contact was made.
Based on the replays, it appeared that Rovanperä was forced off the track by Manson, sending him off at speed. In total, four drivers were involved in the incident: Rovanperä, Manson, Ryan Wood and Yevan David.
The race was red-flagged for a period to allow the damaged cars to be recovered from the circuit.
Although Rovanperä’s opening weekend ended in major disappointment, there were still positives to take away from Hampton Downs. Over the course of the weekend, he significantly reduced his lap-time deficit to the front, providing a strong indication of his potential in single-seater racing as well.
In Sunday’s qualifying session, Rovanperä impressed by setting the ninth-fastest time, at which point his gap to the fastest driver was down to around half a second.
Rovanperä’s formula campaign continues already next weekend in the Formula Regional Oceania, with four races scheduled at Taupo Motorsport Park. The series is contested over four consecutive weekends, with a total of 15 race starts.
The Oceania championship serves as valuable preparation for Rovanperä ahead of his Japan Super Formula campaign, which begins in April.
