TRS 2017 - Round 01 - Ruapuna, Christchurch
Back in New Zealand for my 6th year of Toyota Racing Series, an unique Series in the World - 5 intenses week in a row on 5 different circuits, with M2 Competition - Driver & Team Champions in 2013,2015 & 2016.
2017 level of the field looks quite high and the competition will be tough. On the line-up of M2 Competition, we have 4 come backs and two rookies : Jehan Daruvala from India (2nd in 2016), Pedro Piquet from Brazil (5th in 2016), Kami Laliberté from Canada (13th in 2016) - who were racing with M2 Competition in 2016, Ferdinand Habsburg from Austria (4th in 2016 with Giles Motorsport), Marcus Armstrong from New Zealand and Jean Baptiste Simmenauer from France are the two rookies of the Team.
On track since wednesday, the M2 Boys were re-learning the track and getting used back to handle their FT50 through the track of Ruapuna, close to Christchurch.
Qualifying was on on Saturday morning and as in 2016, the pole positions were for M2 Competition. Both pole positions were performed by Jehan Daruvala in front of his team mate, the new comer, Kiwi Driver Marcus Armstrong. A top 3 M2 was secured in Q1 with Ferdinand Habsburg qualifying P3, Pedro Piquet was P7, Kami Laliberté P11 and Jean Baptiste Simmenauer P20. For Q2, it was even more tight between the two M2 drivers as Jehan and Marcus were separated by only 0,001 sec ! This time Pedro was P4, Ferdinand P8, Kami P12 and Jean-Baptiste P20.
Race 1 was to take place on saturday afternoon and saw the first 1-2 for M2 Competition with Marcus Armstrong winning in front of Jehan Daruvala. The race was quiet calm and not so many actions took place. Pedro took the chequered flag in P6 and thanks to his team mate taking the Top 6 reverse grid, he will start from Pole for Race 2. Ferdinand finished P7, and Kami made it to the top 10. Jean Baptiste ending up P18. The marble draw for Race 2 was a top 6 giving to Pedro Piquet the pole position.
Race 2 took place on Sunday Morning. Cockerton who was starting P2 got the advantage on Pedro at the start but was judged to have jumped the start and received a 10 sec penalty for that and despite taking the chequered flag first, he was demoted to P4. Pedro was finished P2 was not able to enjoy the given win as he received as well a 30 sec penalty for "impeding" a driver during the race. A lot of actions during the race and Marcus Armstrong, starting P6 managed to come up to P3 scoring his second podium in 2 races, Ferdinand moved from P7 to P5, Kami from P10 to P8, Jean Baptiste finished the race in P19 while Jehan had to retired two laps to the end after losing the car in the first chicane and having a contact with another driver.
Race 3 or better known as the Lady Wigram Trophy showed a great come back from Jehan after his disappointment in Race 2. As he did in 2016, he won this Trophy for the second time in a row. The race was hectic with a few safety cars and red flag and 5 cars didn't see the chequered flag due to crashes. Two of them were M2 Drivers, Marcus Armstrong and Jean Baptiste Simmenauer. On the podium with his team mate, Pedro Piquet signed a solid race and finished P3 while the two other M2 Drivers closed in the top 10, Ferdinand finishing P6 and Kami P10.
At the end of the first Round, none of the M2 Drivers is leading the championship but 5 of them are in the top 10 in a position of chasers : Jehan (P3), Ferdinand (P4), Marcus (P5), Pedro (P9) and Kami (P10) are willing to come back in the fight for the next Round. M2 Competition is nevertheless, leading the Team Championship. Next Round at the southern circuit of the world in Invercargill.
All the pictures from Bruce Jenkins
