Just for the record

Marcus Armstrong fends off Lucas Auer at Hampton Downs in 2019

So what's in a number?

A lap record puts your name in the history books, figurately speaking.

It's not a race win. It usually doesn't even bear points toward a title.

But it is a nice thing. A sweet lolly of affirmation that says ‘this driver knows their stuff, and they are seriously fast”.

For most of us, and certainly for the traditionalist, a lap record is only ever set in the cut-and-thrust of actual racing. A clear lap in practice or quali might be a creditable achievement and a statement of intent, but really that’s a world away from doing the same thing in battle.

So will the Castrol Toyota Racing Series drivers have a peek at the Hampton Downs race lap record when the series kicks off there in January 2021?

The TRS cars have always run on HD's ‘national’ circuit, unable to use the extension that creates the longer international circuit because of the ‘step’ back onto the regular national circuit.

Going into the first weekend of the championship, the first-timers and rookies might be looking at lap records and driving sims to prepare for this fast, tricky clockwise circuit that goes up and down and well as round and round.

But when they hit the track they might also wonder why it's so hard to even get close to lap record pace.

After ten years of faithful service from 2005, the Tatuus FT40 cars of TRS were retired in favour of the update, the FT50. Thus 2015 marked a second decade-long commitment by Toyota New Zealand to premier level motor racing in New Zealand.

Retaining the proven 2ZZGE engine – who needs more than 215 bhp in a well-balanced F3-level single-seater after all – these cars were much faster than the FT40, assisted by a new dual-shock front end, new aero from updated wings and a ride height that went as low as the category managers dared – and sometimes lower.

The result? The cars were blindingly fast, setting new records at almost all the circuits TRS visits. The drivers were all ear to ear grins. Worryingly, the cars could also bottom out in the fast midfield right hand turns of Taupo, for example, spitting a cloud of carbon fibre shards and metal sparks.

Since that year it has become harder and harder to crack those record times. The reason? It’s not that the drivers are slower, nor is it any sleight of hand by teams to calm the farm in the heat of racing.

The cars were reset higher off the track, changing roll centres and turn-in and handling. And the bottoming stopped (pretty much). Life went on.

Nowadays the cars are bigger, faster, more difficult to drive on the limit. They are new FT60 Tatuus chassis with turbocharged Lexus-derived engines.Stepping up from a Formula 1600 or similar is more of a leap than it ever has been.

History will be made on many fronts when Castrol Toyota Racing Series entrants line up at HD.

A range of ‘firsts’ will be recorded as the series opens with the 66th New Zealand Grand Prix and the Grand Prix itself moves to Hampton Downs for the first time, breaking a run of 13 years at the 3.033 km international track within the Circuit Chris Amon at Manfeild near Feilding in the northern Manawatu.

It is the first time since the Grand Prix was dedicated to TRS that the flagship race has been the opening round of the series.

In the more usual five-round format that TRS operated until this year the Grand Prix was the final, and all four preceding rounds built toward it. for the first running of the New Zealand Grand Prix at the north Waikato circuit.

More records and ‘firsts’: Kiwi motor racing legend Ken Smith is the first entry and lines up for his 50th New Zealand Grand Prix. The 79-year-old Smith is a three-time winner of the iconic race and continues to defy his age as he competes against the best young talent in the world season after season.

Toyota’s media release announcing the changes to the timing of the Grand Prix held out some hope of attracting internationals this year but the prospect is judged unlikely even in mid December as the Covid 19 virus continued to wreak havoc on northern economies.