INTERNATIONAL INVASION

TOYOTA RACING SERIES

BERNARD CARPINTER

NEW ZEALAND'S Toyota Racing Series has a record number of 15 overseas drivers signed up (or 2012. including West Australian Jordan Oon.

The series kicks off at Teretonga Park on January 14-15. with drivers from 13 different countries on the grid.

Entries include 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill's son Josh, who is back for a second season, and the nephew of former Austrian F1 star Gerhard Berger.

The Kiwi brigade will be led by Nick Cassidy. who finished second the 2011 series behind current GP3 competitor Mitch Evans. Evans will not contest the whole five-round series, however will defend his NZGP title at Manfeild Racing Circuit on February 12.

Aussie Trevor Sheumack will field Josh Hill with his ETEC team, which finished fourth in the 2011 NZGP.

Ferrari protege Hill started slowly in last season's TRS, but improved significantly throughout the series.

In 2011. he contested the British Formula Renault 2.0 championship.

Swiss-Italian Raffaele Marciello. 17, came third in the 2011 Italian F3 championship, and is one ol five drivers in the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Berger's nephew Lucas Auer. also 17, is a successful kart racer and will be trying his hand in the larger open-wheel cars for the first time.

Frenchman Nathanael Berthon. 22. has competed in Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2 and is coming to New Zealand to keep himself race-fit. while 19-year-old Dutchman Hannes van Asseldonk, finished fifth in the 2011 Macau F3 GP.

Kiwi Jono Lester joins the TRS series after racing Porsche GT3s on both sides of the Tasman for several seasons. Perth-based Jordan Oon has also signed up. after racing Formula 3 and Formula Abarth in 2011.

The TRS runs over five consecutive weekends, giving drivers the chance to gain a lot of experience in a short time.

HINCHCLIFFE GETS GOING

INDYCAR OWNER Michael Andretti and driver James Hinchcliffe were on the verge of signing a contract as AA went to press this week. Barring a wrong turn in talks, last year's Rookie of the Year will be the driver of the high-profile GoDaddy-sponsored car this season. The seat was vacated by Danica Patrick as she turned full-time to NASCAR. Two-time Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon had signed to be her replacement on the morning of his fatal crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

LADA TO RETURN TO WTCC

THE LADA Sport Team has confirmed plans to return to the FIA World Touring Car Championship in 2012, in partnership with Russian car manufacturer AVTOVAZ. The last time LADA competed in the WTCC was in 2009, where it strove to a bestrace finish of sixth with Brit James Thompson at the wheel. The team currently plans to compete in two rounds of the 2012 series in the LADA Granta Sportcar, before contesting the series in full from 2013.

PADDON'S SUPER SKODA

HAYDEN PADDON is moving up to the competitive S2000 rally class in 2012 after winning the 2011 Production World Rally championship. The 24-year-old Kiwi will drive a Skoda Fabia run by Spanish team ASM Motorsport. "I am ecstatic about the move to Super 2000; it's a fantastic opportunity," Paddon said. "I was lucky enough to test the Skoda Fabia S2000 in Europe a couple of months ago, and it was an incredible car to drive."

TEMPLEMAN THIRD DRIFT WINNER

HIGH-PROFILE off-road and circuit racer Daynom Templeman has underlined the competitive nature of this season's Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship by beating three-time defending Champion Gaz Whiter (Nissan S14) at the third round in Taupo on December 16-17.

CONQUERING THE MOUNTAIN

BRETT HAYWARD HAS BEATEN ALMOST EVERY HILLCLIMB TRACK IN AUSTRALIA - THE WORLD IS NEXT

HINCHCLIFFE GETS GOING

LADA TO RETURN TO WTCC

PADDON'S SUPER SKODA

TEMPLEMAN THIRD DRIFT WINNER

CONQUERING THE MOUNTAIN

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