From Kiwi title to world champ
When Lando Norris crossed the finish line in Abu Dhabi early on Monday morning Kiwi time, it completed his long journey from karting to the F1 title.
It was a journey that included a memorable season in this country and his championship success at the sport’s pinnacle also marks the completion of the first step of a mission for Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ.
It’s nine years since Norris, pictured, took out what was then the Castrol Toyota Racing Series (TRS). It was evident in 2016 that he was destined for great things, but his third place in Abu Dhabi marks a key moment for New Zealand’s premier motorsport championship as the Brit became the first graduate to take the F1 title.
Over the course of two decades, the championship has produced 27 drivers who have gone on to test practice or compete in F1 and, for some time, a portion of its grid has been alumni from our championship. Right now, there’s Norris, Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto and Lance Stroll. As of next season, our 2025 champion Arvid Lindblad joins the top rank.
“After a massive 2025 F1 championship that saw a three-way fight right down to the wire by Lando, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, it’s a great honour to be able to say one of our graduates is F1 world champion,” says motorsport manager Nicolas Caillol, who was part of the team back in 2016 that helped Lando to secure his TRS title.
“For us, that’s mission accomplished. Well, part one at least. Part two of the story is for our championship to produce New Zealand’s next world champion and in F1 that has been a very long time indeed. When Denny Hulme won the title, for Australian Jack Brabham’s eponymous team, it was 1967.
“There have been New Zealand racers in F1 since, of course, from Bruce McLaren, Howden Ganley and Chris Amon to Mike Thackwell and more recently Brendon Hartley.
“Right now, it’s another former TRS champion, Liam himself, who holds the best chance of fulfilling part two of the mission – to be New Zealand’s next world champion.
“While we enjoy watching him compete at the highest level and strive for the top of the mountain, we’ll continue to provide one of the world’s best junior formula championships where the best rising stars of the single-seater world can make a giant stride towards a seat in F1.
“We may well have a future F1 champion after our 2026 championship which begins next month, and who knows, that F1 champion could be a Kiwi.”
The TRS is now known as the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy. The 2026 series gets under way at Hampton Downs from January 9-11. Pictured below is Norris in 2016 with and his TRS-winning team M2 Competition.
Photo: Bruce Jenkins
