Rising New Zealand talent Kaleb Ngatoa has signed to contest the final three rounds of the 2021 VHT S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship.
Ngatoa is scheduled to drive the Team BRM S5000 entry raced at Symmons Plains by Tommy Smith, who has left Australia to commence his international career in Europe this year.
Due to make his debut at Phillip Island, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic could however force a delay his debut in the Gold Star competition.
Auckland’s current Covid-19 lockdown could place his Phillip Island debut in some jeopardy – though he is certain to make it for the following weekend’s round at Sandown.
Though he resides in an area outside of the Auckland lockdown region, a recent visit to the city means Ngatoa is included in the Covid red-zone criteria which could force a delay to his travelling to Australia.
Ngatoa, Team BRM and S5000 officials are closely monitoring the situation.
Once his travel issues are resolved, the multiple New Zealand karting champion is likely to be a rapid addition to the already competitive S5000 grid across the final two or three rounds of the championship – with racing at Sandown and Sydney Motorsport Park to follow the Phillip Island event next week.
Hailing from the town of Marton – not far from the Manfield Circuit Chris Amon – Ngatoa recently finished second in the Toyota Racing Series; scoring three podium finishes in the nine-race season.
The highlight, however, was securing a stunning pole position for the New Zealand Grand Prix where he topped a star-studded field in wet conditions at the Hampton Downs circuit.
After leading the race in the opening laps, Ngatoa ultimately finished fourth in his debut attempt at New Zealand’s premier race, won spectacularly by Shane van Gisbergen.
Prior to making the leap to wings and slicks competition, Ngatoa won the 2016 Manfield Formula First (Formula Vee) winter series, raced Formula Ford and the NZ Toyota 86 series and won four major NZ karting titles.
Action from Phillip Island will be broadcast Live + Free on the screens of Seven, Sky Sports New Zealand and streamed via motorsport.tv across the March 12-14 weekend.
Comments