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McLennan makes TRS team Switch

By Timothy Neal

Date posted: January 3, 2023

Tom McLennan has been forced into a late team switch ahead of the NZ Toyota Racing Series after mtec motorsport were forced to pull out from competing.

The young 18 year-old Queenslander who competed in the 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia and several rounds of the Australian Formula Ford Championship, will instead pilot a Tatuus FT-60 for the Kiwi Motorsport team.

Kiwi Motorsport will field a five car line-up, with the team having plenty of open wheel experience abroad in North America, currently competing in the USF4, USF Junior, and Formula Regional America’s.

The team is currently composed of British racer Josh Mason, Brazilian Lucas Fecury, local NZ driver James Penrose, with one more to be added after McLennan’s inclusion, with the first of five races coming at the Highlands Motorsport Park on January 13-15, which includes the 67th NZ Grand Prix coming in round 4.

The TGR NZ FT-60 that McLennan tested at Hampton Downs in October for his intitial 2023 TRS series preperation

Mtec was the sole Australian team set to compete, with team owner Bruin Beasley disappointed that they couldn’t go ahead.

“I wanted to do it and make it work with Tom. It’s outside of Tom and my control, but the good thing is that I know that the new team he has landed with is a great option,” Beasley said.

“It’s a shame, because from my side, we had staff sorted, accommodation booked and people were about to leave Europe to come down this way. With drivers pulling out due to various reasons just means that it was not viable.”

Despite the brief setback, McLennan is happy to still have a seat in the acclaimed series with a strong and knowledgeable team.

“I’m really looking forward to linking up with Kiwi Motorsport for my first run in the category,” McLennan said.

“While it is a shame that the original plan of racing with Bruin’s mtec Motorsport team fell through, joining a big squad like Kiwi Motorsport is the best Plan B for me and I can’t wait to get over there.

“They really know single seater racing cars, that’s their business and they have an incredible record all around the world. I’ve got some really fast team-mates too, which is going to help drive me forward in what is sure to be a very competitive championship.”

The other Australian competing is third generation racer Ryder Quinn, a Formula Forward front runner who will be racing with the M2 Competition squad.

Quinn, seen here leading the field at Morgan Park in the Formula Ford Championship, will be one of two young Aussies competing in the NZ TRS series for 2023. Photo: MTR Images

2023 Castrol Toyota Racing Series

13-15 January 2023 – Highlands Motorsport Park

20-22 January 2023 – Teretonga Park Raceway

27-29 January 2023 – Manfeild – Circuit Chris Amon

3-5 February 2023 – Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park

10-12 February 2023 – Taupo International Motorsport Park

For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport

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