Wolfe set to hunt success in New Zealand
Giles Motorsport has confirmed Barrett Wolfe – another rising star from its stable of United States drivers – for the forthcoming 2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship.
Wolfe – who is from Chicago but lives in Las Vegas - was a podium finisher in this year’s Formula 4 United States Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park and secured a number of other top six finish positions to claim fifth overall in the championship with Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport.
He will join Giles Motorsport for his Formula Regional debut in the five-round, five-weekend Kiwi series which in recent years has featured stars like Lando Norris, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto, Christian Mansell, Marcus Armstrong and Santino Ferruci in its ranks.
The 21-year-old is looking forward to both the challenge of NZ’s technical and very different tracks and the increase in power and grip offered by the Formula Regional Toyota FT60. He has also raced and finished on the podium in some lower level FR events in the USA as part of preparation for the Oceania championship.
"I am very excited to join Giles Motorsport and participate in the CTFROC series,” he said. “I've been spending a lot of time in the Formula Regional car since the end of the F4 US season, and it’s going to be a competitive championship and a great way for me to start 2025."
Barrett started his racing career later than most, beginning in circuit racing and only karting as a hobby. He gained more track time driving various exotic cars on track days and quickly attracted the interest of several racing teams.
Like many rising US stars he then enrolled in the Skip Barber Racing school to learn the basic skills and rules of racing and to gain the licenses he required. He then raced in the in-house Skip Barber programme for an entire season in 2023. He dipped his toes in the F4 Championship in 2023 too, before committing to a full season with Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport for 2024.
Barrett’s long term goals are to compete successfully in the FR Americas Championship next season and to race competitively in both endurance and single seater categories.
His time racing in New Zealand should be the perfect preparation for that next phase of his motorsport journey, according to team boss Stephen Giles.
“It’s great to have Barrett join the team for this coming season and we’re looking forward to working with him,” said Giles.
“As a relative late comer to motorsport, Barrett has made great progress this season in USF4 and I have no doubt competing in CTFROC will further improve his skills and speed for when he returns to US racing.”
Wolfe will begin his New Zealand challenge next month at the Taupo International Motorsport Park when the Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Championship is the flagship category for the new NextGen promoted summer championship series.
The Castrol Toyota FR Oceania championship takes in five of New Zealand’s most challenging and diverse circuits and concludes with the 69th New Zealand Grand Prix event at the Highlands Motorsport Park in the South Island in February.
2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship
Round 01: 10 - 12 January 2025, Taupo International Motorsport Park
Round 02: 17 - 19 January 2025, Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park
Round 03: 24 - 26 January 2025, Manfeild, Circuit Chris Amon
Round 04: 31 January – 2 February 2025, Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 05: 7 - 9 February 2025, Highlands Motorsport Park, 69th New Zealand Grand Prix
