Qualifying – Norris On Top Again
Lando Norris was fastest in both qualifying sessions for the Toyota Racing Series at Taupo this morning despite red flags and the best efforts of his rivals, which will go a long way towards helping him cement his hold on the series lead at this, the 4th race weekend of 5.
Pedro Piquet, who won the NZ Motor Cup at Hampton Downs last weekend will, sit alongside him on the front row of the grid for both this afternoon’s 15 lap race and the main event, the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy, over 20 laps tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.
Christchurch’s James Munro was third fastest in both sessions to grab third place on the grid for both races.
Tomorrow morning’s 15 lap preliminary race start positions will be a partial reverse grid from the finishing order of this afternoon’s race.
Qualifying 1
1st – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, M2 Competition, 1:22.938
2nd – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, M2 Competition, 1:23.032
3rd – No. 40, James Munro, NZL, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.077
4th – No. 10, Artem Markelov, RUS, M2 Competition, 1:23.139
5th – No. 6, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, M2 Competition, 1:23.318
6th – No. 33, Guan Yu Zhou*, CHN, M2 Competition, 1:23.422
7th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.446
8th – No. 86, Brendon Leitch, NZL, Victory Motor Racing, 1:23.606
9th – No. 11, Taylor Cockerton*, NZL, ETEC Motorsport, 1:23.661
10th – No. 17, Devlin DeFrancesco, CAN, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.695
11th – No. 25, Bruno Baptista*, BRA, Victory Motor Racing, 1:23.874
12th – No. 15, Kami Laliberté, CAN, M2 Competition, 1:23.978
13th – No. 18, Julian Hanses*, GER, Victory Motor Racing, 1:24.157
14th – No. 67, Antoni Ptak*, POL, Giles Motorsport, 1:24.240
15th – No. 23, William Owen*, USA, Giles Motorsport, 1:24.377
16th – No. 26, Timothé Buret*, FRA, ETEC Motorsport, 1:24.050^^
17th – No. 13, Rodrigo Baptista, BRA, ETEC Motorsport, 1:24.395
18th – No. 4, Theo Bean*, USA, ETEC Motorsport, 1:25.004
19th – No. 21, Nicolas Dapero, ARG, Giles Motorsport, 1:24.244^^
^^ Cars 21 and 26 moved back 3 places – causing a red flag
Qualifying 2
1st – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, M2 Competition, 1:22.146
2nd – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, M2 Competition, 1:22.511
3rd – No. 40, James Munro, NZL, Giles Motorsport, 1:22.584
4th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Giles Motorsport, 1:22.604
5th – No. 33, Guan Yu Zhou*, CHN, M2 Competition, 1:22.696
6th – No. 10, Artem Markelov, RUS, M2 Competition, 1:22.719
7th – No. 6, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, M2 Competition, 1:22.719
8th – No. 86, Brendon Leitch, NZL, Victory Motor Racing, 1:22.871
9th – No. 17, Devlin DeFrancesco, CAN, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.251
10th – No. 11, Taylor Cockerton*, NZL, ETEC Motorsport, 1:23.259
11th – No. 25, Bruno Baptista*, BRA, Victory Motor Racing, 1:23.439
12th – No. 18, Julian Hanses*, GER, Victory Motor Racing, 1:23.523
13th – No. 26, Timothé Buret*, FRA, ETEC Motorsport, 1:23.583
14th – No. 15, Kami Laliberté, CAN, M2 Competition, 1:23.635
15th – No. 67, Antoni Ptak*, POL, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.682
16th – No. 21, Nicolas Dapero, ARG, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.2945
17th – No. 23, William Owen*, USA, Giles Motorsport, 1:23.985
18th – No. 13, Rodrigo Baptista, BRA, ETEC Motorsport, 1:23.999
19th – No. 4, Theo Bean*, USA, ETEC Motorsport, 1:24.760
- Rookie
