Ferdinand Habsburg, the 2016 Castrol Toyota Racing Series (TRS) multiple race-winner, is returning to New Zealand for his third consecutive season which starts at Ruapuna near Christchurch on January 14. Last January, the 19 year-old book-ended the series by winning the first race of the opening round at Ruapuna and then the Saturday preliminary event at the final round at Manfeild.
With a second place in the Lady Wigram Trophy race, Habsburg’s somewhat up-and-down form eventually netted him fourth in the championship.
“I am returning to join the 2016 championship-winning team who will be running some very good drivers, including Lando Norris who is the current champion,” said Habsburg.
“He will be one of my team mates at Carlin in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship next year so TRS will prepare me in the best possible competitive environment for 2017.”
Habsburg, a descendent of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, is now based in London and during 2016, contested three different Formula Renault series in Europe. In the highly-competitive Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, the youngster from Vienna took pole position and a second place in the streets of Monte-Carlo, with a podium finish in front of his home crowd at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.
His most successful series was the European Open Championship where he took 12 podiums, including two wins at Barcelona and Paul Ricard, to finish second overall and take the rookie title. He also made his debut on the unforgiving Macau street circuit among the top young single-seater drivers in the world.
On his first visit to New Zealand two years ago, Habsburg came 11th overall in the five-round, 15-race series, after just a handful of single seater races in Europe in 2014 following a career in karting as a teenager.
Habsburg, like all the other drivers will use a 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.
Racing starts with the Lady Wigram Trophy at Ruapuna, Christchurch on January 14 and 15 and concludes with the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild near Palmerston North on February 11 and 12.
Comments