Thursday Testing Brings Times Tumbling

The 23-strong field for the 2014 Toyota Racing Series completed Thursday’s two official practice sessions at Teretonga with lap times that dropped quickly under the one minute level, and the leading drivers posted laps at or below the standing lap record. Fine and cool conditions prevailed through both sessions.

Quickest in testing was Martin Rump, who produced a first-session best of 54.272 then went out in the afternoon to post a 54.237.

In the first session he was chased hard by Jann Mardenborough, who set a best of 54.920, and Andrew Tang, who went third fastest with a 55.339.  Fastest New Zealander was Christchurch’s James Munro with 55.847. Munro, the current New Zealand Formula Ford champion, is making his first foray into a modern ‘wings and slicks’ single seater championship.

In session two, Egor Orudzhev was second quickest with a best of 54.623; Italian driver Matteo Ferrer was third fastest on 54.876. The fastest New Zealander was local racer Damon Leitch with a 54.921.

The race lap record is 54.282, set in 2013 by Austrian Lucas Auer.

Friday dawns overcast and windy but fine.

The cars are on track for final test sessions today at 10.30 am, 1:03 pm and 3:00 pm New Zealand Daylight Saving Time (NZDST). Brief summaries of the day will be published on the Toyota Racing New Zealand Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ToyotaRacingNZ and on the Twitter feed that features on this website. An image gallery has been posted to the Facebook page and will be expanded as the race weekend continues.