Rovanperä debuted in New Zealand's Formula Regional.

      This weekend in New Zealand the winter season of the local Formula Regional got under way; the full name of the championship is the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy. In short, the "Oceania Trophy."

      We told you about the plans of Finnish driver Kalle Rovanperä to compete in this series to prepare for his debut in Japan's Super Formula, and today the two-time World Rally Champion received his baptism of fire in single-seater racing. If in the first race he finished second-to-last, 17th, in the second he fought for points and finished 11th, which is progress.

      "So, it all begins!" Kalle shared on his social media pages. "My first weekend in single-seaters is underway. I have a busy month ahead, there's a lot to learn, but we're here for exactly that!"

      This weekend the first four rounds of the series are being held at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, and Kalle is gradually getting up to speed. In the second race he started from a distant 17th position, but after one lap had moved up to 13th, and then, after the restart when the safety car left the track, he passed two more rivals.

      Closer to the finish Rovanperä fought for tenth place with the much more experienced Fionn McLaflin, a member of the Red Bull junior programme, but he could not get the better of the 18‑year‑old Irishman, although they swapped positions several times during their duel on track.

      The win went to local driver Zak Skular, Japanese driver Jin Nakamura finished second, another of Rovanperä’s Hitech teammates, 17‑year‑old Briton Freddie Slater, climbed onto the third step of the podium; he is due to make his Formula 3 debut this year.

      Mika Salo is watching the progress of his countryman, who has chosen to change his racing discipline, closely: the former Formula 1 driver is not worried that Kalle is not getting everything right yet.

      "Taking part in this winter series will do Kalle good," Mika told the Finnish tabloid Ilta‑Sanomat. "When he understands how to set up the car and how to drive it, it will be easier for him in Super Formula. And the fact that he's currently behind the leaders is not important at all.

      "Right now Kalle is simply gaining experience; he needs to learn how to start properly, how to fight on track with other drivers, to understand how rivals act. He also has to learn how to brake at the right points on the track.

      "I respect his brave decision to debut in the formula cars, although he has no experience in similar series. I was surprised to learn that he's moving to Super Formula — it's a tough series and the cars are very fast. Personally, I expected that to start with he would choose something simpler.

      "So let's not build up unrealistic expectations; we need to give him time to adapt calmly, and then we'll see whether Kalle will show the results we want to see."

      On Sunday there will be another qualifying session and two more races at the same circuit.