The international 2020 Toyota Racing Series (TRS) field, roaring into the season-opener at Cromwell’s Highlands Motorsport Park this weekend, will be headed by a Kiwi — defending champion Liam Lawson.
The recently-signed Red Bull Racing Junior driver has spent 2019 racing on the Grand Prix circuits of Europe in two cars that were completely new to him. Now he’s returned home to do it again.
Racing back in New Zealand during the European winter season, he will join a full TRS grid in the debut series for the FT-60, Toyota’s new single-seater.
Lawson won the 2019 TRS in his rookie season and hopes to get his 2020 year off to a good start on familiar turf.
‘‘I love our tracks and there's something special about racing in front of your home crowd, friends and family. TRS was great for us last year. There are some great drivers coming out again so I'm sure the competition will be just as fierce as last time,’’ said Lawson, who will once again drive for M2 Competition.
He’s up against five champions from Formula 4 series around the world, along with race and title winners from Formula 3, F1600 endurance and tin top racing. There are countless karting championship titles among the drivers too.
E-sports is also represented at the top level as one of its finest exponents, Igor Fraga, continues his transition to circuit racing.
Formula One team bosses will have their eyes on the championship for the next few weeks too. Last year's performance secured Lawson a Red Bull contract and drivers such as Lando Norris, Daniil Kvyatt, Lance Stroll and New Zealanders Brendon Hartley, and Super Formula champion Nick Cassidy have all raced with success in TRS in the early stages of their careers. This year Red Bull, Renault and McLaren all have young guns attached to their junior programmes competing.
TRS category manager Nico Caillol said ‘‘there's certainly no question this is one of the strongest fields ever assembled for the championship in its 16-year history’’.
‘‘When we launched the new car back in May we wanted to build a series for the region that is relevant globally for any up and coming racer as a way to improve their skills and start their year of racing in the best possible way,’’ he added.
Sixteen nations are represented, including two drivers from Brazil, two from Sweden, two from Switzerland and drivers from Angola and Israel are competing for the first time too.
New Zealand's second driver in the series also becomes the sixth woman to race in the championship and is the sole female. Chelsea Herbert (21) sees the five-round series as a learning exercise but in her favour is her knowledge of all of the tracks and having won races in New Zealand's premier V8 championship.
The TRS stays in the South Island for the second round, moving to Teretonga Park near Invercargill for round two next weekend.
The series then heads to the North Island for the remaining three weekends of racing, visiting Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, Pukekohe Park, with the final round, at Manfeild — Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding.
- by Catherine Pattison
Photo: Mark Whittaker
