Yevan David Carries Strong New Zealand Form into Highlands Finale
Sri Lankan single-seater sensation Yevan David has completed his third consecutive race weekend in the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, closing Round 3 at Teretonga with a fifth-place finish in the Spirit of a Nation Cup feature race and is now turning his attention to the championship’s final round at Highlands Motorsport Park this coming weekend.
David is contesting the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, widely regarded as one of the most competitive winter development championships in global single-seater racing, following his second place overall and Rookie Championship title in the 2025 Euroformula Open Series. The New Zealand campaign forms a key part of his preparation for the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship, where he will become the first Sri Lankan driver to compete at this level.
“Racing regularly is the best way to keep developing, and the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy gives you that intensity straight away. You’re learning new circuits, racing in different conditions and competing against a very strong international field every weekend, which is exactly what I want ahead of my next step.” Yevan David
The Formula Regional Oceania season opened on 8–11 January at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, where Yevan David immediately operated inside the points. He recorded sprint-race finishes of P8, P6 and P7, including effective execution in the reverse-grid format, before his weekend was curtailed by an opening-lap incident in the feature race.
“Hampton Downs was about getting up to speed quickly and understanding how aggressive the racing can be here. The reverse-grid races were a good challenge, and even though the feature race didn’t go our way, it was a solid starting point for the campaign.” Yevan David
The following weekend at Taupō International Motorsport Park, Yevan David continued his New Zealand campaign with competitive pace in changeable conditions. He finished P11 in Race 1, P9 in Race 3, and closed the weekend with a P5 result in the final race, his strongest finish of the round.
“Taupō was a step forward in terms of converting pace into results. Conditions were changing a lot, so it was important to stay adaptable, and finishing with a P5 was a good reward for the work the team put in across the weekend.” Yevan David
Round 3 this past weekend at Teretonga Park was heavily affected by rain, with conditions shaping both qualifying and race action. Yevan stalled at the start of Race 1 but recovered strongly into the top ten before being eliminated in an incident, resulting in a DNF. He returned to the points with P9 in Race 2, while Race 3 was cancelled due to adverse weather. David’s weekend concluded with his joint strongest result to date in the Spirit of a Nation Cup feature race, where he finished P5, crossing the line in the lead group behind race winner Freddie Slater.
“Teretonga was a tough weekend with the weather and the interruptions, but the focus was on staying calm and making the most of the opportunities we had. The feature race showed what we’re capable of when everything comes together.” Yevan David
The championship now moves into its final weekend with four races at Highlands Motorsport Park (29 January–1 February).
“Heading into Highlands, the goal is to keep building on what we’ve learned and finish the New Zealand season strongly. It’s about executing cleanly across all the races and taking that momentum into the rest of the year.” Yevan David
Yevan David’s racing is supported by Dimo Group, Maliban, Nations Trust Bank, Chingiz and the Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC).