2021 Toyota Racing Series

The 2021 Castrol Toyota Racing Series was the seventeenth running of the Toyota Racing Series, the premier open-wheel motorsport category held in New Zealand. The series consisted of nine races at three meetings. It began on 24 January at Hampton Downs, in Waikato, and concluded on 14 February at Manfeild, Feilding.[1] The season opener also hosted the 66th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix.[2] The 2021 Toyota Racing Series was the first season in which no individual race teams were running and all drivers were under a Toyota Racing banner. This was due to the COVID situation. [3]

Teams and drivers
No. Driver Rounds
3 Chris Vlok[4] All
7 Matthew Payne[5] All
11 Conrad Clark[6] All
14 Billy Frazer[7] All
15 Kaleb Ngatoa[8] All
22 Tom Alexander[9] 1–2
24 Andre Heimgartner[10] 1
27 Daniel Gaunt[11] 1
31 Chris van der Drift[12] 1
32 Josh Bethune[13] 1
50 Ken Smith[14] 1
51 Greg Murphy[15] 1
84 Peter Vodanovich[16] All
86 Brendon Leitch[17] 1
87 Damon Leitch[18] 1
97 Shane van Gisbergen[19] 1

Changes

Sporting

To compensate for the shortened calendar, the race distances were increased, from 50 and 70 kilometers to 70 and 80 kilometers respectively.[20]

Race calendar

The 2021 calendar was announced on 17 November 2020. Heavy border restictions in New Zealand because of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shortened calendar compared to traditional seasons, with only three race weekends at two circuits, limited to the North Island.[21]

Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Race Winner
1 R1 Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
(Hampton Downs, North Waikato)		 23 January Chris van der Drift Shane van Gisbergen Shane van Gisbergen
R2 24 January Shane van Gisbergen Shane van Gisbergen Shane van Gisbergen
R3 Kaleb Ngatoa Shane van Gisbergen Shane van Gisbergen
2 R1 Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
(Hampton Downs, North Waikato)		 30 January Matthew Payne Peter Vodanovich Matthew Payne
R2 Matthew Payne Matthew Payne Matthew Payne
3 R1 Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon
(Feilding, Manawatu District)		 13 February Matthew Payne Matthew Payne Matthew Payne
R2 Matthew Payne Matthew Payne Matthew Payne
R3 14 February Matthew Payne Matthew Payne Billy Frazer [lower-alpha 1]
R4 Matthew Payne Matthew Payne Matthew Payne
Source:[21]

Championship standings

Drivers' championship
Pos. Driver HD1 HD2 MAN Points
1 Matthew Payne 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 287
2 Kaleb Ngatoa 5 4 4 4 2 2 3 4 5 229
3 Billy Frazer 10 9 8 3 6 4 5 1 2 201
4 Conrad Clark 12 6 10 6 5 3 4 5 3 183
5 Peter Vodanovich 9 7 Ret 2 DSQ 5 2 3 4 167
6 Chris Vlok 14 10 13 7 4 6 6 6 6 149
7 Shane van Gisbergen 1 1 1 105
8 Tom Alexander 8 Ret 11 5 3 75
9 Chris van der Drift 2 2 12 71
10 Damon Leitch 11 5 5 54
11 Andre Heimgartner 6 Ret 2 51
12 Brendon Leitch 4 Ret 6 44
13 Daniel Gaunt 7 Ret 7 36
14 Josh Bethune Ret 8 14 23
15 Greg Murphy 13 Ret 9 22
16 Ken Smith 15 Ret 15 12
Pos. Driver HD1 HD2 MAN Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Notes
  1. Matthew Payne finished first but received two five-second time penalties for separate infringements (lining up outside of grid box and safety car restart procedure).

References
  1. "Confirmed: Three round TRS calendar for 2021, no South Island circuits". VelocityNews. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  2. Wood, Elliot (2020-11-24). "New Zealand GP to run at TRS season opener at Hampton Downs". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  3. "Unique New Zealand Grand Prix set to make history this weekend". Toyota New Zealand. 2020-11-21. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  4. "Stars align for Vlok for second TRS campaign, eight years after first". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  5. "Top Kiwi karter confirms full Castrol TRS campaign". Toyota NZ. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  6. "Clark completes GP and TRS line up". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  7. "Frazer secures his spot for Castrol TRS". Toyota NZ. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  8. "Ngatoa confirms full Castrol TRS campaign". Toyota NZ. December 17, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  9. Wood, Elliot (2021-01-15). "Two more Kiwi racing stars join New Zealand GP grid". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  10. "Kiwi Supercars star Andre Heimgartner to race at NZ Grand Prix". Stuff. 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  11. "Gaunt gunning to join elite group in 2021 New Zealand Grand Prix". Toyota NZ. December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  12. "Chris van der Drift and Tasman Motorsports Group back for New Zealand Grand Prix". Toyota NZ. December 16, 2020. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  13. "2021 Castrol TRS championship set to intensify as Bethune confirmed". Toyota NZ. December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  14. "Kiwi legend confirms 50th New Zealand Grand Prix drive". Toyota NZ. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  15. "Four time Bathurst winner Greg Murphy is a GP starter". Toyota NZ. December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  16. "Peter Vodanovich graduates to full Toyota Racing Series season". Motorsport NZ. January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  17. "Leitch a real factor for GP honours". Toyota NZ. January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  18. "Damon confirmation makes it two Leitch brothers in the 2021 NZ Grand Prix". Toyota NZ. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  19. "Bathurst winner and first champion wildcard to enter New Zealand Grand Prix". Toyota NZ. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  20. "TRS season shortened to three rounds". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  21. "TRS TO GO AHEAD IN 2021". Auto Action. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
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