Jean Baptiste Simmenauer, the current French karting champion, will take over the seat vacated by Lando Norris at M2 Competition team in the Castrol Toyota Racing Series which starts at Ruapuna on January 14 and 15. Norris was forced to withdraw from the defence of his title earlier this week because of clashing commitments in the United Kingdom in January and February so will stay home to prepare for his first full tilt at the FIA European Formula 3 Championship in 2017.
Sixteen year old Simmenauer will be making his single seater racing debut in the five rounds, 15 race series here which finishes with the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild on February 12.
“I want to make a great preparation for 2017 by competing in the Toyota Racing Series,” said Simmenauer, who comes from Angerville, just south of Paris.
He has been testing with several single seater teams over the past few months. “The goal is to compete in Eurocup Formula Renault in 2017,” he said.
Simmenauer, who started karting in 2012 graduated to the Italian Tony Kart Team, for whom he won the French title this year and finished third in the German championship.
He will join fellow Frenchman, 17 year old Thomas Neubauer, from Paris, who had already confirmed his entry in the Castrol Toyota Racing Series previously.
Neubauer has had 11 races in Formula Renault in France this year, scoring one podium place as he stepped up to single seaters from karting. He finished third behind Simmenauer in the French Karting Championship this year.
Neubauer will drive for the MTEC team in New Zealand driving the Tatuus single seater powered by a 1.8 litre Toyota engine producing about 160 kWs running on an 85 per cent ethanol bio-fuel. All cars use the same Michelin tyres, gearbox, suspension and brakes to provide as close as racing as possible, with driving skill being the deciding factor.
A full field of 20 cars is expected for the Castrol Toyota Racing Series which will follow a familiar format with free practice each Friday, qualifying and one race on Saturday and two races on Sunday at each round.
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