CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship graduate drivers Liam Lawson and Thomas Smith were earlier this week confirmed to join the 2019 Castrol Toyota Racing Series.

Prior to the championship’s round in New Zealand, 2018 Australian Formula 4 drivers were invited for a guided tour of the impressive Toyota Racing New Zealand workshop at Hampton Downs. 

TRS Category Manager Nicolas Caillol guided the drivers through the facility, with all TRS cars prepared and maintained at the facility during their off-season.

Australian Formula 4 drivers have travelled a similar path previously, with the likes of Harry Hayek, Luis Leeds and Thomas Randle competing in recent years. Randle became the first Australian to win the series in 2017. 

2018 Champion Jayden Ojeda was also awarded a test day as part of this year’s prize pool, with Ojeda to sample a TRS car at Hampton Downs in December before his Supercar test with Brad Jones Racing.

Highlands Motorsport Park will host the first round of 2019 on January 12–13. Two rounds will take place on New Zealand’s South Island and three more on the North Island. The series concludes with the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in February, one of only two races outside of F1 officially recognised by the FIA as a Grand Prix. 

2019 Castrol Toyota Racing Series Calendar
January 12-13 – Dorothy Smith Memorial Cup – Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell
January 19-20 – Spirit Of A Nation Trophy – Teretonga Park, Invercargill
January 26-27 – NZ Motor Cup – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, Waikato
February 2-3 – Denny Hulme Trophy – Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo
February 9-10 – New Zealand Grand Prix – Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Feilding