• Latest
  • Trending

Teen targets TRS as next career step

April 16, 2020

Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

September 18, 2025

Another exciting season of motorsport at Teretonga Park

September 18, 2025

Toby McCormack returns for another season in NZ Formula Ford

September 18, 2025

Zeltwanger looking to maintain blistering winter form

September 17, 2025

Palmer the one to beat heading to Rally Waitomo this weekend

September 17, 2025

TRS and Formula Pacific cars running under exciting new format for 2025/26 season

September 17, 2025

Nick Cassidy to race with Citroën in Formula E while balancing WEC drive with Peugeot

September 17, 2025

Cormac Buchanan battles through tough Misano weekend in Moto3 rookie season

September 16, 2025

Ryan Yardley and David Musial Jr. claim victory in Porsche Endurance Challenge at Road Atlanta

September 15, 2025

Tough weekend at the Bend for Giltrap and Osborne in Porsche Carrera Cup

September 15, 2025

Scott McLaughlin secures historic podium for JMR at Suzuka 1000km

September 15, 2025
Friday, September 19, 2025
VelocityNews
Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time updates on Kiwi drivers, events and much more!
Subscribe to New Alerts
  • International
    • Formula 1
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Formula E
    • Esports
    • Super GT
    • Super Formula
    • TCR
    • WEC
    • GT
    • Porsche Carrera Cup
    • BTCC
    • DTM
    • IMSA
    • IndyCar
    • Road to Indy
    • NASCAR
    • WRC
    • MotoGP
    • Motorcycle Racing
    • Historic Racing
  • New Zealand
    • Toyota Formula Regional
    • Toyota GR86 Championship
    • Rally
    • Speedway
    • Drifting
    • Formula Ford
    • Formula First
    • TCR NZ
    • TransTasman V8 Series
    • V8 Utes
    • GT New Zealand Championship
    • GTRNZ
    • Central Muscle Cars
    • Pirelli Porsche
    • Mazda Racing Series
    • NZ Endurance Championship
    • NIERDC
    • SIERDC
    • Pro8 South Island Series
    • SsangYong Utes
    • Kartsport
    • NZ Historic Racing
    • NZ General
  • Australia
    • Supercars
    • Super2
    • Australian V8 Touring Car Series
    • Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
    • Porsche Sprint Challenge
    • S5000
    • Australian GT
    • TCR AU
  • Features
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Profile
    • Race Cars
  • Circuit News
  • Velocity TV
  • Performance Cars
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Job Dashboard
No Result
View All Result
VelocityNews
No Result
View All Result

Teen targets TRS as next career step

by Zane Shackleton
April 16, 2020
in Formula Ford, New Zealand, News, Toyota Formula Regional, Toyota GR86 Championship
0

Toyota Racing Series; that is the goal says aspiring motorsport champion Kaleb Ngatoa.

After a successful 2019/20 season which saw Ngatoa compete in the NZ Formula Ford series, the man from Marton has his eyes solely focused on one goal. That being to compete – and win – in the country’s premier racing class, the Toyota Racing Series.

“TRS. TRS is the goal. We want to have a good run at the TRS championship and prove ourselves in a good and reliable car and then try and set ourselves up for something overseas.” Ngatoa told Velocity News.

“It all just depends on the backing we get to see if we can do TRS or not. But that is definitely the goal.”

Ngatoa has had his arms full across the last two season with back-to-back championships and in two vastly different cars no less. The 18-year-old has adapted seamlessly into Formula Ford fresh after a successful stint in the Toyota 86 series in what he considers a significant step in maturing as a racing driver.

“I think the season for us in the Ford and 86 has been a big character-building part in my career and definitely [has had] a lot of highs and lows,” he said.

“The Formula Ford and 86 were two completely different race cars. Luckily I’ve always seemed to be able to get the hang and understanding of the car quite quickly which definitely helped with the transition to single seaters from tin tops.”

Ngatoa was sitting seventh in the Formula Ford championship before the annulment of the season finale from Hampton Downs. Three podium finishes in the last four races of the championship were demonstrative of Ngatoa’s rapid development in the series.

Kaleb leading a battle pack out of Turn 9 from Hampton Downs

But teething technical problems too often put Ngatoa out of race winning contention. 2020 saw a myriad of DNF and DNS, most of which Ngatoa was the victim of a mechanical fault.

“With the amount of technical problems throughout the season we haven’t really had a clean run. But sure enough when we didn’t have any problems we had the pace to be where we want to be at the front. We would have liked a season with less problems for sure.”

With experience in tin-tops and single-seaters, Ngatoa has kept his future options open. But when asked what the ambition is beyond Formula Ford and Toyota 86, there was only one answer.

“I love most race cars. But definitely single seaters have a place for me,” he said.

“I love the feeling and driving single seaters and that’s definitely the road I want to go down.”

In April last year Ngatoa tested an FT-50 at Hampton Downs, but now the Marton man is eyeing up a full-time gig in the series as the next step in his career towards New Zealand motorsport glory.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2022 VelocityNews - Independent New Zealand and International Motorsport news.

No Result
View All Result
  • International
    • Formula 1
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Formula E
    • Esports
    • Super GT
    • Super Formula
    • TCR
    • WEC
    • GT
    • Porsche Carrera Cup
    • BTCC
    • DTM
    • IMSA
    • IndyCar
    • Road to Indy
    • NASCAR
    • WRC
    • MotoGP
    • Motorcycle Racing
    • Historic Racing
  • New Zealand
    • Toyota Formula Regional
    • Toyota GR86 Championship
    • Rally
    • Speedway
    • Drifting
    • Formula Ford
    • Formula First
    • TCR NZ
    • TransTasman V8 Series
    • V8 Utes
    • GT New Zealand Championship
    • GTRNZ
    • Central Muscle Cars
    • Pirelli Porsche
    • Mazda Racing Series
    • NZ Endurance Championship
    • NIERDC
    • SIERDC
    • Pro8 South Island Series
    • SsangYong Utes
    • Kartsport
    • NZ Historic Racing
    • NZ General
  • Australia
    • Supercars
    • Super2
    • Australian V8 Touring Car Series
    • Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
    • Porsche Sprint Challenge
    • S5000
    • Australian GT
    • TCR AU
  • Features
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Profile
    • Race Cars
  • Circuit News
  • Velocity TV
  • Performance Cars
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Job Dashboard

© 2022 VelocityNews - Independent New Zealand and International Motorsport news.