The weekend featured a mix of wet and dry sessions, creating significantly different scenarios throughout the event. In these conditions, James Wharton delivered consistently strong performances, demonstrating excellent adaptability and confidence in the TJ Speed with HMD Motorsports car.
In Qualifying 1, Wharton secured seventh position, comfortably inside the Top 10 on a circuit where he remained competitive throughout the weekend. In Race 1, the Australian managed the race with maturity, maintaining a clean and consistent pace to finish in sixth place.
Photo Credit: Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zeland
The standout performance came in Race 2, where Wharton delivered a commanding drive. Starting from third on the grid, he controlled the early stages with composure, waiting for the right moment to make a decisive move on Japanese driver Kanato Le. Once in the lead, Wharton set a strong pace, opening up a gap of more than three seconds to the second-placed driver to secure his first victory of the 2026 season.
In Qualifying 2, Wharton claimed the P6, while in Race 3 he gained one position without major difficulty. The final race of the weekend proved more challenging. After an excellent start, Wharton ran wide at a corner in the opening laps, dropping from P5 to P17. Forced into recovery mode, he benefited from a Safety Car on lap 13, which brought the field back together and offered renewed overtaking opportunities. However, a lock-up while avoiding another car at the final chicane caused him to fall back to P16, where he ultimately finished the race.
Photo Credit: Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zeland
“The first win of 2026 was obviously amazing,” James Wharton said. “Overall, it was a very positive weekend. I was much more patient and consistent. Now it’s time to focus on some athletic testing before heading back to Highlands for the final round of the championship, where we’ll be fighting for the win at the New Zealand Grand Prix.”
Following the Taupō weekend, James Wharton now sits ninth in the championship standings with a total of 113 points. The Australian driver will skip the third round of the championship, before returning to New Zealand for the final event of the season, scheduled from 29 January to 1 February 2026 at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell.