Driver Database News

Talented motor racing newcomer Shahaan Engineer will continue his single-seater education just two weeks from now after officially confirming his participation in the 2012 Toyota Racing Series – the final round of which will be the 57th running of the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix.

Dubai-based Shahaan, who is just 16-years-of-age, will be the youngest and least experienced driver in the Kiwi championship when it commences in mid-January. Notably, he will also be the youngest competitor in the New Zealand GP on 11th/12th February which, back in the 1960s, was won by such racing legends as Sir Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham and Jackie Stewart.

After enjoying an impressive car racing debut during the recent Protyre Formula Renault UK Finals Series, where he out-performed a large number of experienced competitors and qualified eighth fastest out of 29 drivers on his first weekend, Shahaan is now looking to benefit from vital track time in New Zealand as he seeks to hone his skills ahead of the 2012 Formula Renault UK Championship.

Toyota Racing Series will field the largest overseas entry in the category’s history when it begins on 14th/15th January – what’s more, the level of competition will be fierce with drivers from top-line championships such as GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 taking part. Once again, the 15-race campaign will further enhance the category’s status as a key proving ground for aspiring Formula One drivers.

Competitors in the 2012 series will enjoy a large amount of seat time, covering more than 2,500 kilometres during testing and racing over the five consecutive race weekends which will take place across the length and breadth of New Zealand.

“I am really excited to race in the Toyota Racing Series, mainly because of the high level of drivers I will have the opportunity to compete against and learn from”, said Shahaan, “There is no other series in the world where a rookie can race against drivers with experience of GP2, Formula Renault 3.5 and other senior championships.”

The Toyota Racing Series, which boasts full FIA (Federation Internationale de L’Automobile) status, will take place over five back-to-back weekends between mid-January and mid-February with the opening three races to be contested on 14th/15th January at Teretonga Park, Invercargill.

From there, the increasingly popular championship will travel to Timaru International Raceway, Taupo Motorsport Park and then Hampton Downs in Auckland. The grand finale of the season, the 57th New Zealand Grand Prix, will be held on 11th/12th February at Manfeild in Feilding.

“With our first race starting at Teretonga on January 14th and the series finishing just four weeks later at the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild on February 12th, the Toyota Racing Series now offers the most concentrated and intense international series in the world”, added TRS category manager Barrie Thomlinson.

Driver Profile
Full Name: Shahaan Sharokh Engineer
Date of Birth: 6th September 1995
Birthplace: Mumbai, India
Residence: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Height: 170cm
Weight: 66kg
Website: www.shahaan.com

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

Seb Morris, 2011 Ginetta Junior Champion and WRDA Welsh Young Driver of the Year, has spoken of the “great privilege” of taking part in the recent Dan Wheldon Memorial Kart Race – an event set-up in remembrance of the former IndyCar Series Champion and double Indianapolis 500 winner.

Wheldon, who tragically lost his life in a racing accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October, was undoubtedly one of Britain’s most successful and talented drivers and the fund-raising kart race at Daytona in Milton Keynes earlier this month proved the perfect way for the motorsport world to pay tribute.

Marford-based Seb joined some of the globe’s top racing stars, including 2009 FIA Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, multiple IndyCar Champion and Indy 500 Winner Dario Franchitti and former Grand Prix stars David Coulthard, Johnny Herbert and Anthony Davidson.

Coupled with the honour of taking part in the memorial event, 16-year-old Seb also enjoyed the highlight of racing wheel-to-wheel with Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes star Button…before going on to overtake his Grand Prix hero during his stint on the track in the team event. Clearly, the move will remain one of The King’s School, Chester pupil’s sporting highlights for a long time to come!

“First and foremost, it was a real honour and a great privilege to be part of the Dan Wheldon Memorial Kart Race – he was one of the best drivers on the planet, a real gentleman and a true inspiration to young racers like me”, said Seb, “It was fantastic so many huge names from the top of the sport took part in the race, it was an amazing event and the perfect way to celebrate his life.

“Racing on track with Jenson (Button) was something I never thought I’d do, to overtake him was incredible – my mum has it on video so I’ll be remembering that for a long time! I was ahead of him at the start but he got by, although I managed to get back past before I had to hand the kart over at the end of my stint. It was a really enjoyable race for a truly fantastic cause.”

Organised by international racing star Johnny Mowlem, a close personal friend of Wheldon, the kart spectacular raised an outstanding £17,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society – the Wheldon family’s charity of choice.

After a hugely successful 2011, which brought his second car racing title in as many seasons, Seb is now looking ahead to making his competitive single-seater debut in 2012 as he eyes graduation into the ranks of Formula Renault.

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

Jono Lester will make this switch from Porsches to single seaters this summer as he prepares for his debut in the Toyota Racing Series with the ETEC Motorsport team.

The 22-year old Auckland based driver competed in the final round of the 2011 TRS championship at Taupo in March – finishing in fourth place overall – in preparation for the upcoming season; which is set to be the most competitive yet with a bumper international contingent and a tightly compressed series schedule.

“It’s a real pleasure to be a part of this championship and to be back behind the wheel again. The TRS Management and ETEC Motorsport have been a tremendous help in securing my place on the grid, and there’s nothing in this world more motivating for a driver than a simple opportunity. With the economy the way it is, each and every one of us is lucky to have one.”

Lester recently completed a successful two day pre-season test at Manfeild alongside fellow local drivers Mitch Evans, Nick Cassidy and Chris Vlok, as well as Malaysian ETEC team mate Melvin Moh, in preparation for the opening round of the Toyota Racing Series at Teretonga Park in Invercargill on January 12-15.

The move into single seater racing is somewhat of a career role-reversal for Lester, with many drivers taking the ‘wings and slicks’ path from a young age and progressing into GT & touring car racing later in their careers.

Lester insists however that this is an important part of his development as a driver;

“One of the first people to recommend the TRS to me was Chris Amon. His support and mentoring over the past 12 months has been terrific and I value his input as I work towards a sports prototype drive overseas.

“I’ve got to say that after tasting the TRS at Taupo in March, we couldn’t have made a better move.”

The 2012 Toyota Racing International Series is structured with five events over five consecutive weekends, with the championship working its way up country from Invercargill to Timaru, followed by events in Taupo, Hampton Downs and Manfeild.

Among many exciting new additions to the championship, the coveted New Zealand Grand Prix title will be decided in the final of the 15-race season, adding extra incentive and pressure on the large field of young drivers – something Lester hopes to take advantage of as the championship unfolds;

“I’m one of the old men of the series this year! While my recent experience behind the wheel has been limited, I pride myself on having a good race brain and a cool demeanour. These young guys are all blisteringly quick and have a lot of backing behind them, but consistency and experience is an area I hope to excel in over the course of the championship.”

“That motivation and the solid pre-season testing has my mind focussed on one thing and one thing only, and that is to win the championship and get my career back on the right track.”

Lester will compete with the support of championship winning Engineer Andy Neale, with ETEC’s five car line up also including Malaysian driver Melvin Moh, returning British rising star Josh Hill, Indian Shahaan Engineer and Victor Sendin of France.

Lester is supported in his campaign by the New Zealand Motorsport Trust and partnered with Counties Toyota, TradeZone Industrial, Ports of Auckland, Vortex Racewear, Hornet Nutrition, Opti-Flex, R Redpath Limited, Webdesign, iSign it, Sony Electronics, Loaded Sports Drink and Zero Water.

Argentina’s driver, at the wheel of car lined up by French team, concluded second during first day of GP3 collective testing held at Jerez. In addition he was the fastest man of Lotus ART on track.

Facu Regalia showed today his good shape during first day of GP3 collective testing at Jerez, in spite of he had problems in the morning, due to mechanical issues. But, in the afternoon, Argentinean driver improved to achieve second fastest time ahead of almost thirty cars.

Regalia, who was making his debut with Lotus ART – team led by Frédéric Vasseur and Nicolas Todt and with a long career in motorsport-, had a hard start of the day, mainly related to gearbox problems. “It was a shame because when my car was fixed, morning´s season was almost finished. I just completed a few laps”, Regalia explained afterwards, but who tried his best during the afternoon. “Because of our problems, we started after lunch time on new tires, and it was useful to be second since the beginning, and having a good fight with Daniel Abt on track to be first”, Regalia said later and, obviously, he was happier with his performance.

At the end, Lotus ART´s driver improved his lap times to set a best time of 1:35.587, which meant a second place during afternoon´s session. “Today was a very positive day for us, and I feel happy with our work. Despite our problems, we knew how to manage them and in the end we could overcome them. We were second, a fantastic position if we think there were almost 30 cars on track. On the other hand, to work with Lotus ART was good for my learning”, Regalia finally explained. Tomorrow, a new day and Regalia is going to drive “with Status GP. I hope to avoid any kind of problems and to finish on top”.

After MLR71, the first new entry for the 2012 season, Auto GP keeps attracting the interest of the best teams in international motorsport.

While the outfits that are already part of the Series are confirming their commitments and in some cases are willing to increase the number of cars they line-up, other top-notch teams from different championships are targeting an entry in Auto GP.

Team Ghinzani is one of them, as team boss Piercarlo Ghinzani revealed in an official press release from the team: “Entering Auto GP would be a great opportunity, as I strongly believe that nowadays the championship is the best value for drivers that are exiting from F3 and looking for the next step of their careers. Enzo Coloni and his staff managed to create a sort of little World Championship, and it’s having quite a big impact on drivers. Furthermore, we know the car very well as it’s the same we used as Team Italy in the first three season of A1GP, clinching wins, podiums and pole positions. That’s why I think that entering the Series is the right choice for us”.

Ghinzani’s words are particularly important because they come from a man with a nearly 40-years experience in top-notch motorsport, first as a driver and then, from 1992, as a team owner. Being among the most winning Italian teams, with a list of achievements that includes successes and podium finishes in the Italian F3 and A1GP (racing as Team Italy from 2005 to 2009), Team Ghinzani would be a welcome addition to the Auto GP grid.

Enzo Coloni: “I was particularly happy when I heard from Ghinzani that he was very interested in an entry in our Series. As our careers in motorsport started more or less in the same years, we know each other from a long time and we have a relationship of mutual respect and regard, meaning that working together in Auto GP would be a pleasure.

Then, from a performance standpoint, it’s worth to underline that Team Ghinzani already knows this chassis, as they were racing as Team Italy in A1GP, and even if the car has changed from those times, I’m sure that such knowledge will be an help for the team. If they really enter the Series, I’m sure that they will be quick straight out of the box”.

Gary Thompson capped his 2011 season perfectly this week with a successful maiden test in premier Asian single-seater series Formula Nippon.

The 19-year-old has spent this year competing in Japanese F3 for the SGC by KCMG team, recording a breakthrough win and scooping an additional five podium finishes. He remained with the squad for his first taste of Formula Nippon, enjoying two days of running at the Fuji International Speedway on Monday and Tuesday (November 28/29).

Although at the controls of a significantly faster machine than he is used to, Thompson quickly settled down to business in the 3.4-litre Toyota V8-powered car, delivering competitive times within a few laps of hitting the circuit. Growing in confidence throughout, he was able to outpace his experienced team-mate by a considerable margin whilst also putting a clutch of series regulars and a former DTM and GP2 campaigner in the shade.

Formula Nippon is notoriously tough for rookies to get to grips with thanks to the technical nature of its Swift FN09 chassis and the presence of several world-class drivers amongst its ranks.

Despite this Thompson made a strong impression on his team, who handed him extra time behind the wheel after his impressive performance on Monday. This level of trust bodes well for the Irishman as he seeks to take the next step up the motor racing ladder.

Gary Thompson: “Firstly, I’d like to thank Toyota, KCMG and SG Changi for giving me the chance to take part in this test. Their support has been invaluable and I’m truly grateful for it.

“The car is really fun to drive: it’s seriously quick, but at the same time you can grab it by the scruff of the neck and really attack it.

“I was able to settle in to a rhythm quickly, which was great. Initially the high-speed corners were a challenge but by the end I feel I was very strong in them. I think I stood up to the increased physical demands of the car too, so that’s very positive.

“Though the test went well we still aren’t making Nippon our priority for 2012 as this was more of a learning experience. That said, if the right offer of a seat came along I certainly wouldn’t rule it out as I’m very keen to get the opportunity to go racing in one of these cars. Formula Nippon remains one of my long-term goals and I’m thrilled to have made a positive first impression.”

Thompson’s focus will now switch to firming up his plans for next season as he bids to build on the momentum his career has gained during the past 12 months. With a maiden Japanese F3 win to his name and now a successful Formula Nippon test under his belt the Dubliner will be looking to go from strength to strength in 2012.

Follow Gary Thompson on:
Web: www.garythompsonracing.com
Twitter: @GThompsonRacing
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GaryThompsonRacing

Cyrus Engineer took his maiden victory in the Junior Rotax class and now heads the points standings after a positive season opener at Al Ain Raceway in the UAE (30 September).

The venue for the 2011 Rotax Grand Finals hosted the UAE Nationals’ curtain raiser with more than 70 contestants and the Mumbai-born teenager had to contend with not just a strong field of competitors, but also the sweltering 40 degree heat.

In the preliminaries – timed qualifying followed by heats and Pre-final– Cyrus recorded the 4th fastest time before taking 2nd and 4th place finishes. His aggregate scores gave him a second row starting grid place for the final.

Cyrus had to start from P4, on the outside line of the two rows of karts. As the race began to find its rhythm, the youngster had become part of a 4-kart breakaway group disputing the lead.

Keeping a cool head, Cyrus worked his way up the order and with just two laps remaining swept past the race leader and held his advantage to the finishing line. He said: “As soon as I caught up with the race leader I positioned myself on his tail and put him under pressure for the next few laps. It paid off when he ran wide and I had the opportunity to overtake him cleanly. From there I held it together until the chequered flag.”

Cyrus’ Team Manager – Richie McLeod couldn’t hide his delight: “It’s fantastic that Cyrus came through to win from the back of a quality-packed group.”

McLeod added: “He was composed and focused and that helped him put together some high-quality, decisive passing moves. All of which combined brilliantly to result in a clean victory for Cyrus and the ‘RacePrep’ team.”

he next round of the Championship takes Cyrus to the Dubai Kartdrome on 14th October where he is hoping to capitalize on his excellent start. Keep track of Cyrus on www.cyrusengineer.com.

Mumbai-born Shahaan Engineer has underlined his position as India’s best young hope for a future career in the FIA Formula One World Championship after making a major impression on the Formula Renault UK Championship’s six race ‘Finals Series’.

Undertaking his car racing debut in what has widely been regarded as the most competitive Finals Series (formerly the Winter Series) in the category’s history, the 16-year-old karting graduate was the only single-seater rookie and the youngest driver on the near-capacity 29-car grid at Snetterton (5/6 November) and Rockingham (12 November) but shone with a series of excellent performances.

Joining Formula Renault UK’s top team Fortec Motorsports for his maiden campaign, Shahaan picked up his pace throughout testing ahead of the first four rounds of the Finals Series at Snetterton 300 Circuit and stunned the paddock in his maiden qualifying session with the eighth fastest time.

In spite of an unfortunate grid penalty for rounds one and two, due to yellow flags being shown at the time he set his best lap, Shahaan raced through the order brilliantly and outperformed drivers with experience of Formula Renault UK, Eurocup Formula Renault, Formula BMW and Formula Ford.

Serving up tremendous overtaking moves in horrendous wet conditions, far belying his inexperience, the talented Indian newcomer finished 13th in his first race – out of 29 competitors – and then took 14th place in race two.

During rounds three and four on the second day at Snetterton, he secured a pair of top 12 finishes to cap a superb first ever weekend in cars. More than that, both results were achieved despite starting way down the order in an uncharacteristic 26th position in each instance due to missing the entirety of the second qualifying session because of a faulty wiring loom.

Moving on to the incredibly challenging Rockingham International Super Sports Car Circuit this past weekend for rounds five and six, Shahaan quickly got up to speed once more with qualifying again taking place in tough, damp conditions along with the added complication of early fog.

Racing through to 14th position in the first race to post his fifth points-scoring finish from five starts, Shahaan eclipsed all of his previous outings in the last round of the championship by climbing his way into ninth place and on course for a truly memorable conclusion to the Finals Series.

India’s freshest motor racing star on fast track to success…
Matching podium finishing pace, the teenager lapped with a best time of 1m17.955 seconds as he reeled in the cars ahead but on lap 14 – with only three further laps remaining in the race – Shahaan was unfortunately punished heavily for the smallest of errors with a disappointing retirement.

Building in confidence all the time and eager to push for an even better result than ninth, at the exit of the fifth corner he just caught one of the remaining damp patches on the track and was powerless to prevent his car spinning off onto the infield.

“I just pushed a bit too hard trying to catch the cars in front”, he said after round six, “I wanted a bit more than ninth place as the pace was really good and I felt really comfortable with the car. The adrenaline rush was tremendous as I realised I had just a few laps left with a top 10 in hand.

“I was confident of catching the three cars in front but I just caught the damp patch and spun. It’s a real shame but it’s still been a very strong and positive weekend. Overall I’m really happy with what we’ve achieved in such a short space of time over the last two weekends, it’s been fantastic.”

So impressive has the young Indian’s debut car racing campaign been, Fortec Motorsports has declared its desire to sign Shahaan to a contract for the main 2012 season which is expected to get underway in Britain at the beginning of April.

Team owner Richard Dutton commented: “Shahaan did an amazing job and showed true race spirit in his first few races in a race car, we look forward to learning more of what Shahaan can show us and are happy to continue into 2012 with him.”

Perhaps most impressive of all though is the fact in 12 days of testing and racing in challenging, wet weather Shahaan incurred no damage whatsoever to his car – proving his terrific natural car control and tremendous awareness on circuit.

The chief aim over the past two weekends has been to achieve maximum track time and to learn about starts and racecraft. In doing all of that with a commitment and maturity of a driver of far senior years, India’s freshest star of the track has made a significant first impression…

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

American teenager Sean Rayhall further strengthened his place as one of the most talented up-and-coming racers in the nation this past week (September 29-30) by dominating the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship season-finale at Road Atlanta. As part of the prestigious Petit Le Mans event, the 16 year-old racer from Georgia won both Round 13 and 14 from the pole position, setting a new lap record in the process. Making it even more impressive was the fact it was Rayhall’s series debut in the American Le Mans Series development championship.

Rayhall, having captured wins and championships in karting, Skip Barber Racing, SCCA Pro Racing and Legends, embarked on his latest motorsports challenge when he partnered with Comprent Motor Sports for his pro sports car racing debut. Thanks to support from SCCA Enterprises – a reward for winning the 2010 Formula Enterprises Series title – the Georgia native was part of the talented field racers taking part in the Prototype Lites Championship season-finale at Road Atlanta. While Rayhall had previously piloted a Comprent Motor Sports prepared Elan DP02 entry before (winning SCCA races), the Petit Le Mans doubleheader represented the first chance to go against pro racers and teams with lots of experience and skill.

The action at Rayhall’s home track unofficially commenced via a promoter’s day testing, and the highly-rated teenager wasted little time showcasing his skills behind the wheel. Despite focusing on car setup rather than an outright quick lap, Rayhall still managed to top the speedcharts.

When the action officially got underway via two practice runs on Wednesday, the No. 77 SCCA Enterprises/Comprent Motor Sports Elan DP02 remained the car to beat, as Rayhall was nearly a second faster than his nearest pursuer in both sessions.

Given Rayhall’s performance in the sessions prior to the lone qualifying run, everyone expected the 2011 Legends racing standout to challenge for the Round 13 pole position. Rayhall promptly met everyone’s expectations, posting a lap of 1:19.836 – four tenths faster than the next fastest driver – to secure the P1 starting spot for his inaugural Prototype Lites Championship race.

Returning to the cockpit of his Comprent Motor Sports racing steed a short time later for race one of the Road Atlanta doubleheader, Rayhall proved to be in a class of his own. Not only did the 16 year-old immediately pull away from the rest of the field when the green flag waved, but he did so once again following a brief full-course caution period. In the end, he led all 21 laps, scoring a 10-second win in his pro sports car debut.

“The key was to be good on cold tires,” said Rayhall. “The team gave me a great car to be able to do that. There was great competition behind me, with Nunez and my teammate [Jonathan Gore in the No. 14 Comprent car] coming in third, so it was a good podium for us! It’s a great debut for me, with no real moments. But you give it all you’ve got and really push it no matter how big a lead you have. There’s no relaxation out there!”

With the grid for Round 14 set by each driver’s fastest lap in race one, Rayhall once again was at the head of the field when the green flag waved for race two on Friday morning. This time however Rayhall had to fight for top honors. With a fellow teenage racer providing the opposition, Rayhall diced for the lead lap after lap, regularly swapping first place. In what was a thrilling battle, the win came down to the final few corners. Rayhall, having executed a bold outside pass in turn 10 with two laps to go, ultimately emerged with both a second consecutive win from the pole and a new race lap record of 1:19.434.

“Wild is an understatement,” said Rayhall. “It was controlled chaos. But it was a lot of fun. Tristan gave me a run today. Comprent gave me a great car, though I was having problems with the RPMs that affected my shifting. But it’s all about how you bounce back, and we bounced back hard today! It was a great debut for me. It was great racing against Tristan. I can’t wait to race with him again like that!”

Rayhall will now take a brief break to soak up his impressive pro sports car debut, before returning to the highly-competitive action in the Legends ranks. Next up is the 20th Annual Asphalt Nationals on October 28-29, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 16 year-old star enters the event with the Charlotte Summer Shoot Out, Atlanta Thursday Thunder, and Legends Winter Nationals titles already on his resume this season.

Additional information on Sean Rayhall can be obtained from his website @ http://www.seanrayhall.com/ For direct contact and to inquire about supporting this fast rising motorsports star, please contact Charles Rayhall @ charlesrayhall@yahoo.com

Photo by Darren Pierson-DPerceptions.

Marford’s Seb Morris is celebrating yet another richly deserved accolade after being named the 2011 WRDA Welsh Young Driver of the Year during a special ceremony on Saturday, 19th November.

Following an utterly dominant title-winning season in the Ginetta Junior Championship, where he scorched to 11 victories and 16 podiums in total from the 20 races contested, the ultra talented driver’s year has been capped-off perfectly with the prestigious WRDA award.

Immensely proud of his Welsh heritage, the 15-year-old GCSE pupil – who studies at The King’s School, Chester – is now preparing to make the move into single-seater racing where he aims to graduate into either Formula Renault BARC or Formula Renault UK.

“It’s a real honour to be named the Welsh Young Driver of the Year and I’d like to say a big thank you to the Welsh Racing Drivers Association for their support”, said Seb, “We had a fantastic season in Ginetta this year, it couldn’t have gone any better, and to now be awarded this accolade really is the icing on the cake.”

Since graduating from a successful karting career in 2010, the Liberty Properties and Legat Owen backed racer has established himself as one of the UK’s top rising motorsport stars. Becoming a podium finisher in his maiden season in the Ginetta Junior Championship, Seb went on to claim the 2010 Winter Series title with two wins from four races.

Beginning the main Ginetta Junior season this year with a great chance to make it two title victories in succession, Seb was untouchable during the first half of the campaign and went on to win the championship one event early and with an eventual margin of 125 points over his closest challenger.

Reflecting on the WRDA’s decision to name Seb the Welsh Young Driver of the Year, club secretary Robert Allender commented: “We are pleased to honour Seb in this way. He clearly is a driver with a lot of potential and we hope he will continue to be successful.”

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.