2017 CASTROL TOYOTA RACING SERIES- ROUND ONE PREVIEW

5/1/17

Round one preview by Taylor Cockerton,

 

As it's only a matter of days before the first round of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series kicks off at Ruapuna, I thought I’d share with you guys my thoughts and give you a bit of a preview of the season from my perspective.

It seems like only a few months ago that I was crossing the finish line for the 61st New Zealand Grand Prix, feeling absolutely ecstatic that I had made the top 6 in my first attempt. It was a special feeling to be able to complete in a race like that. As a kid growing up and watching the race as a spectator you know it's a big deal, but it's when you take that famous photo, and sit in the cockpit listening to the national anthem being sung when you realize how prestigious the Grand Prix really is.

Now, the Castrol Toyota Racing Series is once again just around the corner where Brendon, Marcus and myself will spearhead the Kiwi charge against the international pack in our own backyard. Boy, am I looking forward to it!

Possibly one of the biggest advantages I will have this season and something I am really looking to, is having Andy Neale on board with me as my engineer. Andy would have to be one of the most highly sought-after engineers on the grid. Not only does he have a wealth of knowledge on these cars; having engineered Andrew Tang to the TRS crown three seasons ago, but Andy and I have both known each other for nearly three years through formula Ford and onto TRS and have built up a great driver-engineer relationship within that time. As we all know, one of the most important aspects of motor-racing as a driver, is to have a good relationship with your engineer. I noticed with several drivers last year where they had poor relationships with their engineers, and It was obvious that this ended up impacting on their results, so this is something I am really exited about.

Heading into last season was much a feeling of 'stepping into the unknown' for me, as I had no idea what to expect in terms of the competition. I was having to take every session just as it came, and accept whatever result came my way. Because of this, I wasn't going into races feeling confident which probably hindered on some of my performances, particularly after Teretonga where we had a slump in pace.

This season however, my mindset has completely changed. Our extensive pre-season testing in the Formula Renault with Andy Neale has given me much more confidence. Since November we have covered over 1500 kms of testing at both Ruapuna and Teretonga, which is over double of what we covered in the lead up to last season. I feel that my sharp mindset that I lost during the year is back and I am confident that I can hit the ground running at round one, particularly where a lot of the other competitors will still be quite rusty.

Obviously, I will be setting high goals for myself once again this season. I feel that a top 6 in the championship is definitely achievable, now that I am more experienced with the car. I managed to prove last year that my race pace was as strong as anyone’s, so if I can improve my qualifying efforts this season I think I’ll be able to challenge for podiums, if not race wins.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has helped get me onto the grid this season. We’ve spent all year pushing to secure a budget and I’m stoked we’ve managed to get there. As we all know, motorsport in general isn’t cheap and the awesome commitment of my sponsors, McDonald’s NZ, Optiflex, Pinnacle Logistics, and Safetystep NZ, have given us the budget to launch a full assault on the championship this year. I must also say a massive thank you to Toyota Racing New Zealand for receiving the Kiwi Driver Fund which again, has allowed me to be on the grid. Initiatives like this give us race drivers a chance to showcase what we’re really capable of against some of the toughest competition you will find.

So, if you’re around for any of the events, make sure you come and check out the action as I’m sure we’ll put on a good show! Once again thanks to everyone who has continued to support me. I will be posting regular updates on my Facebook page to keep you all in the loop. Let’s go show em how it’s done.
TC

Photo- Crossed up Media