Large entry for Kartsport nationals

Kartsport Rotorua this Easter hosts the annual KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championship title event.

The three-day meeting has attracted large entries across a number of high profile classes.

At stake is not only national titles but also the chance to represent NZ in the annual ROK Cup International meeting in Italy later in the year. The prize for the winner of the 2018 Vortex Mini ROK class title is certainly an incentive to ‘be in to win.’’

Several top-level drivers are set to defend their national class titles, including Auckland brothers Daniel (125cc Rotax Max Light) and Mat (Rotax DD2) Kinsman, and Christchurch’s Jacob Douglas (Vortex Mini ROK).

Former NZ#1 Gold Coast, Queensland-based driver Lane Moore is one of three top-rated Australian karters crossing the Tasman for the event. He will have a chance at the NZ 125cc Rotax Max Heavy title that he has already won twice, first in 2011 then again in 2015.

The other two Australians are Harrison Hoey from Queensland who will contest the Rotax Light title and Sydney youngster Jaiden Pope competing in the Junior Rotax class.

Late entries are also anticipated from a few more Australian drivers. Supercars driver Scott McLaughlin is heading back to home for Easter and expects to attend the meeting.

Qualifying for all seven classes will be held on Easter Friday afternoon with heats on Saturday and Pre-Finals, Finals and prize giving at the track on Sunday.

TRS gets Super Licence recognition

Drivers in next season’s Toyota Racing Series will now be able to score Super Licence points that are required for competing in Formula One.

It is a qualification criterion for new drivers to meet where they must earn 40 FIA points over a three-year period. This was one of Brendon Hartley’s advantages in gaining his Scuderia Toro Rosso

F1 seat at the US F1 Grand Prix last year ahead of other F1 hopefuls.

His points were gained mainly from winning his two World Endurance Championship titles in

2015 and 2017. With the team having to scramble to find a driver when Pierre Gasly had a ‘Honda’ commitment to drive in the final round of the Super Formula in Japan, Hartley was one of a handful of drivers who had the required number of points to qualify for an

F1 seat.

The FIA recognition is a bonus for TRS as it gives the championship more international status alongside other single-seater categories, particularly in Europe, such as F4, F3 and Formula Renault. The reality for drivers is that very few will get through to a

F1 seat within the three-year period after competing in NZ.

Rather they will have to continue to accumulate the necessary points each year of their career until the opportunity arises.

The Australian Supercars was also recently awarded Super Licence points for the top finishers in the championship and again the reality of this is that none of these drivers will go on to a F1 career.