If there is one thing keen Kiwi motorsport fans will agree on is the need for a successful Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship, held each year over the New Zealand summer. Its success is not only important for where it stands amongst rival series across the globe, but also the importance of how it underpins the rest of our summer circuit series.
Since its inaugural beginnings back in 2005, originally called the Toyota Racing Series, the single seater concept has morphed into a truly international official FIA championship recognised across the global motorsport community.
While we have had driver announcements in the months leading up to the start of the 2024 series, one could be forgiven for not realising that the five consecutive round championship gets underway this weekend in Taupo with 17 drivers taking to the grid. The caveat on this observation would be unless you’re on Instagram which appears to be the preferred means of promotion by Toyota Racing, the organiser!
Here’s the rub. The Castrol Toyota FR Championship doesn’t necessarily need the promotion here in New Zealand. Spending more time, money and resources on marketing within NZ is not their objective. Their target market is up and coming young international single seater drivers who want to gain mileage and racing experience in a Formula Regional chassis before they head back to the Northern Hemisphere to compete. Each season’s success can be measured by the demand for being on the grid the following year. It is not about how many are coming in the gate or the numbers watching live or through YouTube, it is more about who is watching and observing.
If you get the right people, the influences and decision makers keen on the series involved, this will have a huge bearing on what drivers we will see the following season. A successful series will attract high profile talent. They will want to be part of the southern action!
Let’s not also forget that the drivers on the grid are paying to do so and this is what funds the series. Numbers through the gate and TV viewers, even on pay TV, will not bring in key income.
The series is set up so that Toyota Racing own everything – the chassis, engines and parts – and effectively run a turn-key operation. A driver signs on, pays the money and gets a well-resourced team around them, guaranteed seat time on five different circuits, all within a five-week period and, global promotion. No other series offers such a package that gives so many test and racing kms across a short period of time and it is reported at a very good price compared with other similar categories.
Since becoming a five-consecutive weekend international championship, we have seen some top talent come to NZ before going on in their career to better things, including competing in Formula One. Yes, there have been some lean years and Covid didn’t help. We have seen some fabulous years, particularly leading up to the Covid era when the series was definitely on a roll!
This weekend it is the start of the 2024 series and it will be a success. How much may still be determined in 12 months’ time when we see the 2025 grid line up to race.
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