Tijmen van der Helm claims Toyota Racing Series victory as championship rivals draw level

Tijmen van der Helm has won Race 2 of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, ahead of Franco Colapinto and Petr Ptáček.

Lucas Petersson started on pole in the reverse-grid top eight, with Petr Ptáček beside him on the front row.

Championship rivals Igor Fraga and Liam Lawson started together on the fourth row.
Petersson had a solid start and held his lead out of the first corner.

Lawson and Fraga touched off the gird, but emerged unscathed and went side-by-side into turn one. Fraga held his position down the inside, and the chase was on for Lawson.

Dutch driver Tijmen van der Helm snuck past Petersson into the lead, and Ptáček was quickly on Petersson's gearbox, challenging the Swede for second place.

Colapinto bravely moved past Collet for fourth, but all eyes were on the championship battle as Fraga and Lawson squabbled for sixth. Lawson had the advantage, able to put his car alongside Fraga when he needed to, but Fraga's defense was incredibly strong.

Petersson had dropped down to fourth, and Fraga was frustrated behind, pushing hard to get past. He was able to push past the Swedish driver, putting valuable space between himself and the championship leader.

Lawson was quick to follow, and Caio Collet joined the battle, leading a three-wide drag race down the main straight for fifth.

The kiwi Red Bull Junior driver was able to hold his line on the inside, and come out of the tussle ahead.

The battle had released Fraga down the road, and Lawson was forced to hold Collet at bay to minimise the effect on his championship hopes.

Tijmen van der Helm's lead was unassailable, and he ran away with the race win ahead of Franco Colapinto and Petr Ptáček.

Igor Fraga finished fourth and Liam Lawson in fifth, reducing the gap between the two drivers to just two points before the New Zealand Grand Prix later this afternoon. With Fraga on pole position, Lawson will have to overtake Fraga on track unless the pair both finish lower than P4.

Aussie Jackson Walls finished in P9.