2012 New Zealand Grand Prix

The 2012 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 12 February 2012. It was the fifty-seventh New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2012 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

2012 New Zealand Grand Prix
Race 3, Round 5 of 5 of the 2012 Toyota Racing Series
Race details[1]
Date 12 February 2012
Official name LVII New Zealand Grand Prix
Location Manfeild Autocourse, Feilding, New Zealand
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 3.033 km (1.885 miles)
Distance 35 laps, 106.16 km (65.96 miles)
Weather Fine
Pole position
Driver Giles Motorsport
Time 1:03.392
Fastest lap
Driver New Zealand Mitch Evans Giles Motorsport
Time 1:04.235 on lap 22
Podium
First Giles Motorsport
Second Giles Motorsport
Third Giles Motorsport

Twenty Tatuus-Toyota cars started the race which was won by 17-year-old New Zealander Nick Cassidy who became the who became the second teenager in as many years to claim the Grand Prix after sixteen-year-old Mitch Evans the previous year.[2]

The Giles Motorsport team dominated the race, filling all three podium positions. Dutch driver Hannes van Asseldonk finished second, 05 seconds behind Cassidy. Third was Austrian driver Lucas Auer. Cassidy inherited the lead after the retirement of fellow Giles Motorsport driver and defending champion Mitch Evans who held a three-second lead when his car failed on lap 28.[3] Completing Giles Motorsport's dominance of the race, Brazilian driver Bruno Bonifacio finished fourth. Nathanaël Berthon was the first driver from any other team, finishing fifth for M2 Competition.

Cassidy's win also wrapped up a success championship campaign for Cassidy, winning his first major championship with the 2012 Toyota Racing Series crown.

Results

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Qualifying

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Pos No Driver Team Time Grid
1 1   Mitch Evans Giles Motorsport 1:03.178 1
2 2   Nick Cassidy Giles Motorsport 1:03.391 2
3 5   Bruno Bonifacio Giles Motorsport 1:03.518 3
4 52   Nathanaël Berthon M2 Competition 1:03.711 4
5 16   Hannes van Asseldonk Giles Motorsport 1:03.791 5
6 15   Lucas Auer Giles Motorsport 1:03.817 6
7 10   Josh Hill ETEC Motorsport 1:03.967 7
8 42   Jordan King M2 Competition 1:03.980 8
9 87   Damon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:04.146 9
10 53   Raffaele Marciello M2 Competition 1:04.201 10
11 6   Félix Serrallés Giles Motorsport 1:04.285 11
12 43   Tanart Sathienthirakul M2 Competition 1:04.353 12
13 7   Jono Lester ETEC Motorsport 1:04.403 13
14 4   Chris Vlok Victory Motor Racing 1:04.492 14
15 20   Dmitry Suranovich Victory Motor Racing 1:04.584 15
16 8   Melvin Moh ETEC Motorsport 1:04.729 16
17 88   Michela Cerruti Victory Motor Racing 1:04.809 17
18 11   Shahaan Engineer ETEC Motorsport 1:04.847 18
19 9   Ken Smith ETEC Motorsport 1:05.394 19
20 51   Sheban Siddiqi M2 Competition 1:05.950 20
Source(s):[4]

Race

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Pos No Driver Team Laps Gap Grid
1 2   Nick Cassidy Giles Motorsport 35 40min 18.327sec 2
2 16   Hannes van Asseldonk Giles Motorsport 35 + 0.509s 5
3 15   Lucas Auer Giles Motorsport 35 + 4.800s 6
4 5   Bruno Bonifacio Giles Motorsport 35 + 7.772s 3
5 52   Nathanaël Berthon M2 Competition 35 + 8.363s 4
6 7   Jono Lester ETEC Motorsport 35 + 11.723s 13
7 6   Félix Serrallés Giles Motorsport 35 + 12.294s 11
8 20   Dmitry Suranovich Victory Motor Racing 35 + 18.280s 15
9 8   Melvin Moh ETEC Motorsport 35 + 24.164s 16
10 43   Tanart Sathienthirakul M2 Competition 35 + 28.179s 12
11 4   Chris Vlok Victory Motor Racing 35 + 28.265s 14
12 88   Michela Cerruti Victory Motor Racing 35 + 28.683s 17
13 9   Ken Smith ETEC Motorsport 35 + 39.874s 19
14 51   Sheban Siddiqi M2 Competition 35 + 1:01.730s 20
15 11   Shahaan Engineer ETEC Motorsport 34 + 1 lap 18
16 87   Damon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 30 + 5 laps 9
Ret 1   Mitch Evans Giles Motorsport 28 Engine 1
Ret 10   Josh Hill ETEC Motorsport 17 Retired 7
Ret 53   Raffaele Marciello M2 Competition 15 Retired 10
Ret 42   Jordan King M2 Competition 4 Retired 8
Source(s):[5]

References

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  1. ^ "mylaps.com". Archived from the original on 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
  2. ^ "Evans becomes youngest Grand Prix winner". Toyota Racing Series. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  3. ^ "Cassidy claims GP title". Stuff. 12 February 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Q6C Toyota Racing Series - Super Pole". Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Race 20 Toyota Racing Series - NZ Grand Prix". Retrieved 7 June 2022.
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Preceded by New Zealand Grand Prix
2012
Succeeded by