Oct 6

Oct 6 Swiss driver Axel Gnos the first driver announced for 2020 Toyota Racing Series

Swiss driver Axel Gnos is the first driver to be announced for the 2020 Castrol Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand, after a three-pronged Formula 4 assault in 2019.

Picture 1 - Axel Gnos is looking forward to racing the new Toyota FT-60.jpg

The sixteen year-old raced in the Italian, Spanish, and German Formula 4 Championships this year for Jenzer Motorsport and G4 Racing.

Gnos began as a successful karter, before moving to Italian Formula 4 for six races in 2018. This year was his first full-time season in cars, competing in Italian and Spanish Formula 4 as well as some rounds of the ADAC German Formula 4 Championship.

For his Toyota Racing Series attempt, he will join Kiwi Motorsport (formerly Victory Motor Racing), who took out the series title in 2017 with Australian Thomas Randle.

Picture 2 - 2019 has been a busy year for the Swiss racer in Formula 4.jpg

Gnos said, “I am looking forward to the 2020 Castrol Toyota Racing Series mainly because, looking at the past years, this is a well-organised championship with competent organisers and experienced teams and also because I will discover New Zealand and meet new people.”

“I am happy to be joining Kiwi Motorsport, which is a team with vast experience, many outstanding championship and race wins and a friendly and warm atmosphere. Together we will aim for good results and give it our all.”

“I will use the championship in New Zealand to evaluate my options for 2020 which are either to do another full F4 year in Europe (Italy and Spain) or to take the challenge to step up to F3 R Eurocup or F3 Regional WSK or maybe something else. I will surely learn a lot and will try to improve my skills throughout this intensive five-week battle. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my family, my sponsors and my friends and followers for all their support.”

Team manager Garry Orton said, “we are happy to welcome Axel in our team for the coming season. He has already demonstrated great improvement this season and we are definitely hoping to build on that momentum when he is in New Zealand.”

The 2020 Castrol Toyota Racing Series begins at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell in New Zealand's South Island over the weekend of January 17-19.