Photo: FRECA
Hitech GP has announced Toyota junior Jin Nakamura as one of its drivers in Formula Regional Oceania for 2026.
The British team will join the Toyota-powered series next year with three cars, and Nakamura will drive one of them before he then steps up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with the same outfit.
He heads to FRegional Oceania after coming 10th in FRegional’s Middle East and European championships and 19th in the Macau Grand Prix this year.
“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be competing in 2026 New Zealand championship with Hitech,” said the 19-year-old Japanese racer.
“I’m grateful to TGR and everyone supporting me. 2026 is my second season driving outside of Japan, and I believe I can use what I’ve learned this year. I will push myself as much as possible, and do my best together with the team.”
Nakamura made a step down to FRegional as his career moved outside of Japan after he came fourth in the third-tier Super Formula Lights championship with one win in 2024.
Also announced as racing in FRegional Oceania, which switches from championship to trophy status next season, are Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 junior Yuanpu Cui (MTEC Motorsport) and Jack Taylor (Giles Motorsport).
It should be Cui’s first full season in a series using FRegional-based cars. He was a Britsh F4 and Chinese F4 race-winner in 2024, and at the start of 2025 did two FRME rounds, taking a best finish of 15th. He then did two rounds late in FREC’s season, with a best result of 13th.
Between the two he raced in GB3, first in Argenti with Prema’s line-up and then with Hillspeed, and did five of the season’s eight rounds. Cui came 18th in the standings, his campaign peaking at Zandvoort where he finished sixth twice.
“I am focused on just performing to the best of my ability and trying to achieve some good results,” the 17-year-old Chinese said of racing in FRegional Oceania. “Of course I am very excited to be racing in New Zealand with MTEC, it will be very challenging and it is a high level competition.”
Taylor steps up after two years in GB4. He came ninth with one podium in 2024, when GB4 used F4 cars, then was 10th this year with two victories as the paddock switched to using GB3’s old chassis.
“This will be my first time in New Zealand and my closest campaign to home yet so I’m obviously really looking forward to it,” said the 17-year-old Australian. “FRegional Oceania has a strong reputation and it was a much better option for me than doing winter testing in Europe. I’m looking forward to the challenge and to see what I can do and I also have to thank my sponsors for making it possible. It’s going to be an awesome experience racing in NZ and working with Giles Motorsport.”