TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand says confirmation of Castrol Toyota FR Oceania team Kiwi Motorsport as a partner for Chip Ganassi Racing is big news for any driver looking for a pathway to success in US motorsport.
As an official partner team, Kiwi Motorsport will place drivers in competitive cars across motorsports with the goal of developing well-rounded skills.
A long-time participant in New Zealand’s premier single seater championship, Kiwi Motorsport has provided a successful stepping stone in the careers of drivers such as Brendon Hartley, Daniil Kvyat and Franco Colapinto.
Its annual New Zealand championship campaign, along with its U.S.A. junior formulae programmes, will be included in the programme available to budding U.S. drivers.
The team has also won five of the last six team championships in the U.S. Formula 4 Championship and the 2019 and 2023 drivers’ championships and has two drivers’ and team championships in Formula Regional Americas from 2023 and 2024.
Teena Larsen and Garry Orton are co-owners of Kiwi Motorsport and were delighted with the news, releasing the following statement via Chip Ganassi Racing.
“Kiwi Motorsport is thrilled to partner with CGR and be involved with the development program. Kiwi Motorsport, like CGR, has been a dominant team in the series it competes in, running Formula 4 in the United States and Formula Regional Series in United States, Macau and New Zealand. It is our team’s aim to help find the next INDYCAR champion.”
The news was also welcomed by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand Manager of Motorsport Nicolas Caillol, who says it provides an important pathway for up and coming drivers in New Zealand, as well as other rising stars on the international scene.
“The Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Championship has a well-documented track record of success, producing multiple drivers who have competed and succeeded in Formula One,” he explained.
“The pathway to Indycar is a fast developing one, as we have seen a number of talented drivers hoping to make a career at the top level of US motorsports competing in New Zealand in the early part of the year to sharpen their skills up for their US campaign. That will continue in 2025.
“Kiwi Motorsport is at the heart of this pathway and the team thoroughly deserves this partnership with one of the sport’s most successful teams. We can only see benefits for New Zealand and international drivers.”
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for more than 35 years and is considered one of the most successful and innovative owners in motorsports. Today, his teams include three Honda cars in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and two entries in INDY NXT by Firestone.
CGR has won 23 championships and more than 260 race victories, including five wins in the Indianapolis 500, eight Rolex 24 At Daytona victories, and wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
