It has produced leading Kiwi and international race stars too numerous to name. Toyota Racing Series graduates are racing and winning on every continent in top tier championships.
Now, Toyota Gaoo Racing New Zealand has confirmed dates for the 20th TRS single seater championship season. Local and international drivers will contest the 2025 championship five different circuits over five consecutive weekends beginning in January 2025.
The 2025 season will be the championship’s third as one of the FIA’s Formula Regional Championships and it is the only one of those to boast a fully FIA-sanctioned Grand Prix event.
A grid capped at 20 cars will line up for the opening weekend of the season in New Zealand’s North Island at Taupo International Motorsport Park, in support of the Historic Grand Prix Event on January 10-12.
The second round will be held the following weekend on the full Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park layout.
The third round is at Manfeild on 24-26 January before the drivers and teams head to the South Island to the most southerly of the championship venues, Teretonga Raceway at Invercargill over the January 31 – February 2 weekend.
Highlands International Motorsport Park at Cromwell will host the final round and the 69th New Zealand Grand Prix on February 7-9.
New Zealand’s premier motorsport championship has seen 24 of its graduates test, practice or race in an official F1 Grand Prix weekend or test session. The most recent – the 2020 Rookie Champion, Franco Colapinto – had a solid Grand Prix debut with 12th place for Williams in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Countless others have achieved success in other formulae, ranging from Supercars to Indycar and Le Mans prototypes to Formula E.
McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris, currently second in the F1 Championship, has contested and won the Toyota championship.
TRS and CTFROC series have always appealed to those who want to succeed at the highest levels of motorsport. That’s recognised by the FIA too, who have over time increased the allocation of Super Licence points. As one of only five Formula Regional championships in the world, drivers considering the 20th anniversary championship can expect exceptionally high quality once again.
2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship
Round 01: 10 – 12 January 2025, Taupo International Motorsport Park
Round 02: 17 – 19 January 2025, Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park
Round 03: 24 – 26 January 2025,
Manfeild, Circuit Chris Amon
Round 04: 31 January – 2 February 2025, Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 05: 7 – 9 February 2025,
Highlands Motorsport Park, 69th
New Zealand Grand Prix
Images: CTFROC official
