Ferdinand Habsburg has taken points at each of the races in the penultimate round of the Toyota Racing Series at Taupo Motorsport Park, adding to his impressive run of race finishes and points in the championship’s rookie standings.
Despite feeling he could have taken more from the weekend, 17-year-old Habsburg is pleased with his progress this year and feels his experience in the five-round championship will put him in a good place going into the Formula Renault 2.0-litre Northern Europe.
“At the start of the season, I decided to go out there, learn as much as I can and collect as many points as possible,” he commented. “Finishing races is important not just for the points but for the extra track-time it gives you. I’ve had some great results already this year and I’m confident the best is yet to come.”
Habsburg has taken podium finishes at two of the four championship rounds and has finished all-but-one of the 13 races.
“As with any competitive championship, there are a lot of close-battles, which result in red flags and safety cars, but I’ve managed to avoid being caught up in any race-ending incidents. Next weekend, I’m keen to not only have three clean races but to get back up on the podium to round off a great season on a positive.”
Next weekend’s races are staged at Manfeild, a fast and flowing 3.03km circuit with multiple passing opportunities. The mostly cambered corners require aggression under braking and commitment to carry the mid-turn speed necessary to put together a quick lap. Varying surface types and bumps that have developed provide a stern test.