Lindblad grabs top spot in first Manfeild qualifying

M2 Competition’s Arvid Lindblad showed why he is now the clear favourite for championship honours with another pole position – this time for the first race at Manfeild – Circuit Chris Amon of the third round of the 2025 Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Championship.

Lindblad – not a fan of the tight and cambered track in the North Island's Manawatu region – nevertheless delivered a textbook qualifying performance as he built up to his fastest lap that ultimately gave him pole by over a tenth of a second.

It was a significant margin considering the first 15 cars in the field were covered by under seven tenths of a second  - a remarkably close result which again demonstrated how competitive the FIA’s Oceania Formula Regional championship is.

Australian Patrick Heuzenroeder was first into the 1 minute 4 second bracket for mtec Motorsport after four minutes of the fifteen minute session with a 1 minute 4.532 lap.

American team mate Josh Pierson then made a big step forward with his first effort a 1 minute 4.064 lap. M2 Competition’s Nikita Johnson was first into the 1 minute 3 second zone moments later with a 1 minute 3.987 seconds before Pierson went fastest again.

Johnson went quickest again next time around shaving off a tenth and Championship leader Arvid Lindblad popped up in second a few hundredths behind. Test day pace setter Nicholas Stati entered the battle for Kiwi Motorsport with sixth fastest time at the seven minute mark and it was then Lindblad unleashed a 1 minute 3.693 lap – a tenth ahead of Johnson at that stage.

With five minutes to go and with everyone having done at least two flying laps it was Lindblad from Johnson, Pierson, Aussie returnee Tommy Smith for Giles Motorsport, Kiwi Alex Crosbie, Heuzenroeder, Nicholas Monteiro, Stati, Matias Zagazeta and Michael Shin forming the top ten. Top Kiwi in the championship, Zack Scoular, was struggling down in 12^th.

The order was only broken by a big effort from Sebastian Manson for M2 Competition which saw him break into the top ten with the seventh fastest time. That meant the final top ten was Lindblad, Johnson, Pierson, Smith, Crosbie, Heuzenroeder, Manson, Monteiro, Stati and Zagazeta.

Scoular will start 12^th in this afternoon’s first race – giving him plenty to do to maintain pressure on series leader Lindblad.

2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship – Round 3 Manfeild – R1 Qualifying