Next year’s New Zealand Grand Prix will include a Formula 1-esque qualifying format and award the Dorothy Smith Memorial Cup.
The Dorothy Smith Memorial Cup will be presented to the winner of a sprint race held on the morning of the Grand Prix at Hampton Downs.
Qualifying takes place on Saturday afternoon and is split into three segments.
Q1 determines the grid for the Memorial Cup sprint race.
Q2 acts as the first part of qualifying for the main Grand Prix.
The top eight in Q2 will then proceed to Q3, where the Castrol Pole Position award is up for grabs.
Cash prizes are on offer for drivers who finish on the podium of both races, with the Grand Prix winner taking away $5000.
The Grand Prix will be the only opportunity to see Toyota Racing Series cars next year.
Covid-19 implications forced series organisers to fold a purposed four-round season and instead focus on the highlight event on the calendar.
As a result, Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand launched their ‘Road to the Grand Prix’ programme to attract more young Kiwi stars to compete in the Grand Prix.
Testing is available for South Island drivers on 18th and 19th January at Ruapuna and all runners on February 2nd and 3rd at Hampton Downs.
Drivers will also have ample testing time in the build-up to the race, with free practice sessions from Thursday through to Saturday morning.
“While there is only one race weekend, it’s going to be a very special one and there is a lot of work going into it to make it a successful one,” TGRNZ Motorsport Manager Nico Caillol said.
“We are going to give drivers the opportunity to clock up hundreds of kilometres testing with our engineers to get them up to speed with the FT60 and give them a proper build-up to the Grand Prix.”
The 67th New Zealand Grand Prix will be on February 11-13.
