Ngatoa to replace Mehri in S5000 field 

Kiwi open wheel racer Kaleb Ngatoa, a previous S5000 race winner, will replace the indisposed Spaniard Roberto Mehri in the BRM car on the S5000 VAILO Adelaide 500 grid.

The former F1 racer and racing journeyman came down with a case of the dreaded Bali Belly whilst on a stop-over to Australia, with a stint in hospital putting a line through his S5000 return.

Ngatoa is three time race winner on Aussie shores and took out two victories last season, and has lately been contenting in the NZ Formula Ford series, as well as having contested the FIA Formula Regional Regional Oceana Series earlier in the year.

Mehri last raced in the S5000 championship at Symmons Plains in February, but he won’t be making a series return after falling ill. Image: Daniel Kalisz

BRM’s Team 88 car owner Albert Callegher said it was a shame Mehri couldn’t make his series return, but noted that Ngatoa is a pretty decent ring-in.

“Roberto has been pretty unlucky, and it’s such a shame that he is unable to be here,” Callegher said. 

“However, it’s great that Kaleb – who has won in the category before – was available and able to hot-foot it to Adelaide by tonight.

“He of course ran with Team BRM throughout most of the 2022 season, so it shouldn’t take him long to get comfortable – though this will be his first visit to Adelaide.

Ngatoa racing in the NZ Grand Prix earlier this season in the Formual Regional Oceania Series

“We all wish Roberto well for a speedy recovery and hope we can see him here during 2024.”

The weekend of racing for the 11 car S5000 field sees the one-off Tasman Series title on the line, with defending champion Nathan Herne returning from the US to contest the round for GRM.

The overall title is also on the line, although GRM’s Aaron Cameron has an 84 point cushion from Aussie international talent Cooper Webster.

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