2019 Toyota Racing Series

Last updated

The 2019 Castrol Toyota Racing Series was the fifteenth running of the Toyota Racing Series, the premier open-wheel motorsport category held in New Zealand. The series consisted of fifteen races at five meetings. It began on 10 January at Highlands Motorsport Park, in Cromwell, and concluded on 10 February with the 64th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix, at Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding.

Contents

The championship, as well as the 2019 New Zealand Grand Prix was won by rookie Liam Lawson; who became the first New Zealander to win the championship since Nick Cassidy in 2013.

Champion Liam Lawson and runner-up Marcus Armstrong both took five wins apiece, whilst Cameron Das, FIA Formula 3 European Championship driver Lucas Auer, Esteban Muth, Brendon Leitch and Artem Petrov all had one race win each.

Teams and drivers

TeamNo.DriverStatusRounds
MTEC Motorsport5 Flag of Romania.svg Petru Florescu All
11 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jackson Walls [1] R2–5
36 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuto Kotaka [2] RAll
54 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Calan Williams [3] All
Giles Motorsport7 Flag of South Africa.svg Raoul Hyman [4] All
9 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Ptáček [5] RAll
16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tommy Smith [6] RAll
21 Flag of the United States.svg Dev Gore [7] All
48 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ken Smith [8] 5
M2 Competition 8 Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong [9] All
10 Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson [10] RAll
12 Flag of Russia.svg Artem Petrov [11] All
22 Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer [12] All
28 Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Das [13] All
30 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Esteban Muth [5] RAll
Victory Motor Racing66 Flag of the United States.svg Parker Locke [14] RAll
86 Flag of New Zealand.svg Brendon Leitch [15] All

Race calendar

The calendar for the series was announced on 19 June 2018, and will be held over five successive weekends in January and February. [16] Races 2 and 3 of the second round at Teretonga were postponed to due high winds and rescheduled. Race 2 will be run at Hampton Downs, and Race 3 qualifying and race will be run at Taupō. [17]

RoundCircuitDatePole PositionFastest LapWinning DriverWinning Team
1R1 Highlands Motorsport Park
Cromwell, Otago
12 January Flag of South Africa.svg Raoul Hyman Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson M2 Competition
R213 January Flag of New Zealand.svg Brendon Leitch Flag of New Zealand.svg Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing
R3 Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson M2 Competition
2R1 Teretonga Park
Invercargill, Southland
19 January Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition
R220 JanuaryRaces 2 and 3 cancelled due to unsafe high wind conditions. [17]
R3
3R1 Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
Hampton Downs, North Waikato
25 January [N 1] Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Das Flag of Russia.svg Artem Petrov M2 Competition
R226 January Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition
R327 January Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson M2 Competition
R4 Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of Russia.svg Artem Petrov Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition
4R1 Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park
Taupō, South Waikato
2 February Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson M2 Competition
R2 Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer M2 Competition
R33 February Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Esteban Muth M2 Competition
R4 Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition
5R1 Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon
Feilding, Manawatū District
9 February Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition
R210 February Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Das Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Das M2 Competition
R3 Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson M2 Competition

Championship standings

The series had introduced a new drivers' championship points system for the season. Drivers were awarded the same number of points for Races 1 & 3. Race 2 featured a reversed grid of the top 6 to 8 finishers from Race 1, and awarded reduced points to the top 15 finishers. Drivers must have completed 75% of the race distance and be running at the finish to score points. [18] [19]

Scoring system

Race (starting grid from qualifying)
Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th
Points3531272422201816141210987654321
Reversed grid Race
Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th
Points201816141210987654321

Drivers' championship

Pos.Driver HIG TER HMP TAU MAN Points
1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Liam Lawson 1512CC731Ret1233251356
2 Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong 2321CC101413NC81192346
3 Flag of Austria.svg Lucas Auer 3Ret45CCRet4315217232Ret270
4 Flag of South Africa.svg Raoul Hyman 42311CC529105365964270
5 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Esteban Muth 64119CCRet6257614635258
6 Flag of New Zealand.svg Brendon Leitch 5198CC31410413529446245
7 Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Das 9674CCRet75315105871Ret205
8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Calan Williams 11787CCRet887889757Ret183
9 Flag of Russia.svg Artem Petrov 10Ret63CC1Ret72444RetDNSDNSRet181
10 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuto Kotaka 8Ret106CC11966915106Ret103176
11 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Ptáček 78512CC2Ret111214711RetRet12Ret123
12 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jackson Walls 13CC85Ret8613121010RetRet110
13 Flag of the United States.svg Dev Gore 1491310CC4131414129141211RetRet109
14 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tommy Smith 15121214CC121112911141313148Ret101
15 Flag of the United States.svg Parker Locke13111415CC9121511161215Ret12117100
16 Flag of Romania.svg Petru Florescu 1210RetRetCC61013131011Ret118RetDNS98
17 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ken Smith 1313827
Pos.Driver HIG TER HMP TAU MAN Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints classification
BlueNon-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired, not classified (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Rookie

Footnotes

  1. Race 1 at Hampton Downs was the make-up of Race 2 from Teretonga, featuring a partially reversed grid of the top six finishers from the first race.

References

  1. "Castrol Toyota Racing Series welcomes youngest gun". 13 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  2. "Kotaka heading to New Zealand to begin 2019". 21 December 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  3. "Williams set to begin 2019 European challenge with NZ warm up". 11 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  4. "Hyman aiming to win in New Zealand to begin 2019". January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Allen, Peter (30 October 2018). "Italian F4 rookie champion Petr Ptacek to contest Toyota Racing Series". Formula Scout. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  6. "Smith to run Castrol Toyota Racing Series with Giles Motorsport". 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  7. "Gore for New Zealand as 2019 Castrol Toyota Racing Series gathers pace". 5 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  8. "King Kenny rides again". February 5, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  9. "Kiwi Armstrong aiming to win". 4 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  10. "Lawson first Kiwi for Castrol Toyota Racing Series". 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  11. "Petrov heads to New Zealand to begin 2019". Toyota New Zealand. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  12. "Auer heads to New Zealand to begin 2019 campaign". Toyota New Zealand. 22 December 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  13. "Das a likely challenger in Castrol Toyota Racing Series". 15 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  14. "Young US racer Locke's in New Zealand Camp". 14 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  15. "Leitch back for title attempt in Castrol Toyota Racing Series". 19 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  16. "Toyota Racing Series unveils 2019 schedule". Motorsport.com. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  17. 1 2 Bradley, Charles (19 January 2019). "Teretonga TRS track activity cancelled on safety grounds". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network . Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  18. "Castrol Toyota Racing Series Points Table" . Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  19. "The DownLow; The Official Magazine of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series; Issue 09". 15 January 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2019.