Multiple United States Formula 4 race winner and championship contender Ryan Shehan is the latest high quality rising star to be confirmed for the 2023 Castrol Toyota Racing Series.
The 17-year-old driver from Austin currently sits fourth in the championship chase, having had a successful campaign this season with Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport. Shehan will join Giles Motorsport for the first full international TRS championship since 2020 and is eager to show what he is capable of on the challenging New Zealand circuits.
“Ever since making the move from karts to cars, the TRS program is something that I have wanted to compete in and made it a goal of mine to do so,” said Ryan.
“TRS has produced multiple past and current Formula One drivers and is a breeding ground for success. While I hope I can go over there and win, my goal will be to continue to build my experience and knowledge to climb the motorsports ladder.”
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport bosses Garry Orton and Teena Larsen run a team in the TRS championship and have decided to place Shehan with Stephen Giles team, Giles Motorsport, for the campaign. Giles has been engineering Ryan in F4 throughout this season.
“Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport and Giles Motorsport have worked very closely with one another sharing personnel and engineering with Giles Motorsport and Stephen Giles has engineered Ryan throughout the 2022 season,” explained Orton.
“To keep Ryan on the upward trend, we believe keeping Ryan and Stephen together for TRS was best for all involved and could provide for some more race winning results.
“We are super proud of Ryan and his results this season,” he added. “TRS will really set him up for the 2023 USA season. The FT-60 race car is very different from what Ryan has driven but he will adapt quickly and I know he will learn a lot in New Zealand. Racing with Stephen Giles and Giles Motorsport will extend the efforts that we have done with Ryan in 2022 as he progresses towards his 2023 race program.”
Teena Larsen added, “Having Ryan come to New Zealand is super cool, we just love to show our drivers the country, and culture, as well as watch them gain valuable experience that will help them when they return to the United States for the 2023 season.”
The 2023 Castrol Toyota Racing Series is one of the most competitive junior formulae in the world and it’s timing at the start of the year means it attracts a diverse range of high quality competitors with track records from numerous single seater championships.
It races over five weekends at five different venues and includes the New Zealand Grand Prix on its calendar, one of only two ‘Grand Prix’ events outside of Formula One recognised by the FIA. A full grid is expected for the 2023 championship.
2023 Castrol Toyota Racing Series Schedule:
| Round | Venue | Date |
| 1 | Highlands Motorsport Park | 13 to 15 January, 2023 |
| 2 | Teretonga Park Raceway | 20 to 22 January, 2023 |
| 3 | Manfield Circuit Chris Amon | 27 to 29 January, 2023 |
| 4 | Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park | 3 to 5 February, 2023 |
| 5 | Taupo International Motorsport Park | 10 to 12 February, 2023 |
