Seventeen year old Czech Republic driver Petr Ptacek will return to New Zealand in 2020 for a second shot at the Castrol
Toyota Racing Series.
Two podiums and eighth overall in the Formula Renault Eurocup championship this year highlighted a 2019 that also
included the MRF Challenge series in India and an impressive victory on his Asian F3 championship debut at Suzuka in
Japan, as well as Petr's TRS campaign.
A karter from the age of seven, Prague-based Ptacek came into last season’s TRS campaign on the back of a Rookie
Cup-winning season in the Italian F4 Championship. Although he had plenty of pace on his first visit to New Zealand, he
was dogged by bad luck in a campaign that saw him finish 11th in the final standings.
For the coming season - which will feature a full grid of 20 of the series' brand new Toyota FT-60 machines and an
increased allocation of 10 Super Licence points for the championship winner - he will run with mtec Motorsport
engineered by R-ace GP.
With circuit knowledge and an understanding of the Tatuus chassis that underpins TRS as well as the Formula Renault
Eurocup and the Asian F3 championship, Ptacek is looking forward to moving up the grid in New Zealand when the series
gets underway next month.
"I’m really looking forward to catching up with all the amazing people in TRS and my friends in New Zealand as well as
starting my new race collaboration with R-ace GP guys,” he said. “I learned a lot when I raced in the series last year
and I know that experience will be useful as I return for a second shot at the championship.”
The 2020 championship will begin at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell in New Zealand's South Island over the weekend
of January 17-19. It stays in the South Island for the second round a week later, moving to Teretonga Park near
Invercargill for round two.
The series then heads to the North Island for the remaining three weekends of racing. That will include the Denny Hulme
Memorial Trophy at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, the New Zealand Motor Cup at Pukekohe Park and the final round, the
New Zealand Grand Prix meeting over the weekend of February 14-16 at Manfeild – Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding.
2020 Castrol Toyota Racing Series
17-19 January 2020: Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell - Dorothy Smith Memorial Trophy
24-26 January 2020: Teretonga Park, Invercargill - Spirit of a Nation Cup
1-2 February 2020: Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, Waikato - Denny Hulme Trophy
7-9 February 2020: Pukekohe Park, Pukekohe - New Zealand Motor Cup
15-16 February 2020: Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Feilding - New Zealand Grand Prix