Caio Collet begins Toyota Racing Series recovery with maiden win at Teretonga

Brazilian Caio Collet has won Race 1 at the Teretonga Park round of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series, followed by Grégoire Saucy and Igor Fraga.

Multiple shunts in the morning’s Qualifying session, including a series-ending collision for Chelsea Herbert, meant that the field was scrambled for Race 1 of the weekend.

Fraga led a the start, with Saucy mounting a challenge into Turn 1. Collet, starting in fourth, vaulted past both drivers on the outside, into the lead of the race.

The rest of the field saw similar intensity, with an airborne collision for Spike Kohlbecker bringing out the Safety Car, and a glancing blow between Australian Jackson Walls and Yuki Tsunoda sent Walls into an early retirement.

At the restart, Collet was quick to assert his dominance, and by lap five he held a two second lead in front of Saucy and Fraga.

Kiwi Liam Lawson was up to eighth, passing Emilien Denner for seventh and setting his sights on Ido Cohen. Both drivers had to quickly react when Lirim Zendeli slowed ahead of them, but they avoided disaster and passed the German driver for promotions to fifth and sixth respectively.

Lawson, who started P13, ran out of time to get past Cohen, finishing in sixth.

Collet won with his lead intact, ahead of the squabbling Saucy and Fraga.  "The car was just incredible," he said.

“The opportunity came for the move on the first lap, it was a bit risky but I took it and it paid off. I'm really happy to come back after last weekend and get the win here."