2012 was the eighth running of the Toyota Racing Series and the first time that the five rounds were held over five consecutive weekends in the months of January and February. Since then, Toyota Racing has adopted this recipe each season and it has proved to be a jewel in their crown.
It was another year of international drivers coming to NZ. This time 15/21 drivers were from outside of NZ. These included Dutch driver Hannes van Asseldonk, Brits Josh Hill, Jordan King, Italians Michela Cerruti and Raffaele Marciello, Brazilian Bruno Bonifacio, French driver Natanael Berthon and Austrian Lucas Auer.
But it was a returning Kiwi driver Nick Cassidy who easily won the title from van Asseldonk, Damon Letich and Josh Hill. Cassidy stood on the podium in 10/15 races with five race wins including his first of three NZ Grand Prix victories.
Cassidy sealed the 2012 title after finishing fifth in the second race of the final round at Manfeild Park in Feilding.
It was heartbreak for 2011 winner Mitch Evans, who had won Saurday’s opening race and finished second in Sunday’s race heat after starting from sixth on a partially reversed grid.
Evans had a sizable lead in the Grand Prix with seven of the 35 laps to go when his car came down the straight sounding terrible and then stopped.
The visibly upset Evans said the car had started to smell and then misfired badly; he did not know what had caused the failure.
Cassidy inherited the lead but came under strong pressure from van Asseldonk late in the race but held on for the win.
Austrian Lucas Auer –nephew of former Formula One star Gerhard Berger came third, ahead of Brazilian Bruno Bonifacio, Frenchman Nathanael Berthon and Aucklander Jono Lester.
British driver Josh Hill ran fourth but retired with a mechanical failure. He still finished fourth in the series, one place behind Invercargill driver Damon Leitch.
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