2017 Lady Wigram Trophy

The 2017 Lady Wigram Trophy was the 56th running of the Lady Wigram Trophy and served as the first round of the 2017 Toyota Racing Series. The event was held at the Mike Pero Motorsport Park, in Christchurch, New Zealand from 13 to 15 January 2017.

Race details
Date 13-15 January 2017
Official name 56th Lady Wigram Trophy
Location Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Christchurch
Course Permanent road course
3.330 km (2.069 mi)
Overall results
Podium
First India Jehan Daruvala M2 Competition
Second United Kingdom Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport
Third Brazil Pedro Piquet M2 Competition

The defending Lady Wigram Trophy winner was Force India protégé, Jehan Daruvala. He would repeat his feat by winning the Lady Wigram Trophy for the second year in a row.

Background edit

The 2017 Toyota Racing Series sees the highest number of returning drivers (Brendon Leitch, Thomas Randle, Pedro Piquet, Jehan Daruvala, Ferdinand Habsburg, Kami Laliberté and Taylor Cockerton) since 2013 with seven.

Defending champion, Lando Norris initially announced intentions to return to the series for 2017 to defend his title. However, he later announced his withdrawal. The vacant seat would be taken by Frenchman, Jean Baptiste Simmenauer.

Report edit

Practice edit

For the first practice session of the weekend, Enaam Ahmed achieved the fastest lap time with a 1:18.200, followed closely by Thomas Randle and Richard Verschoor. The session was relatively clean, with only two spins in the session (Andres and Laliberté). The second practice session was equally as uneventful with Thomas Randle lowering the best time down to a 1:18.147, with the closest two rivals being Shelby Blackstock and Jehan Daruvala. For the third and final practice session, several drivers broke into the 17's, with Taylor Cockerton being the fastest of all with a 1:17.383. He was followed by Thomas Randle and Enaam Ahmed.

Session Day Fastest lap
No. Driver Team Time
Practice 1 Friday 65   Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport 1:18.200
Practice 2 49   Thomas Randle Victory Motor Racing 1:18.147
Practice 3 11   Taylor Cockerton MTEC Motorsport 1:17.383

Race 1 edit

Qualifying edit

Jehan Daruvala continued his fine form at the Mike Pero Motorsport Park by grabbing the first pole position of the year with a 1:17.424.

Pos No. Driver Team Time Grid
1 9   Jehan Daruvala M2 Competition 1:17.424 1
2 8   Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition 1:17.582 2
3 62   Ferdinand Habsburg M2 Competition 1:17.641 3
4 22   Richard Verschoor Giles Motorsport 1:17.648 4
5 49   Thomas Randle Victory Motor Racing 1:17.665 5
6 11   Taylor Cockerton MTEC Motorsport 1:17.797 6
7 5   Pedro Piquet M2 Competition 1:17.832 7
8 65   Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport 1:17.871 8
9 47   Keyvan Andres Soori Giles Motorsport 1:18.179 9
10 24   Ameya Vaidyanathan MTEC Motorsport 1:18.319 10
11 83   Kami Laliberté M2 Competition 1:18.331 11
12 51   Shelby Blackstock Victory Motor Racing 1:18.366 12
13 3   Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:18.440 13
14 33   Kory Enders MTEC Motorsport 1:18.441 14
15 26   Harry Hayek Giles Motorsport 1:18.467 15
16 96   Luis Leeds Giles Motorsport 1:18.474 16
17 12   Christian Hahn Giles Motorsport 1:18.613 17
18 10   Thomas Neubauer MTEC Motorsport 1:18.932 18
19 80   Nikita Lastochkin M2 Competition 1:19.013 19
20 27   Jean Baptiste Simmenauer M2 Competition 1:19.485 20
Sources:[1]

Race edit

After a great start from Daruvala, a safety car caused by Enders stranded car closed the field up once again. On the restart, Armstrong got onto the gearbox of Daruvala, and committed to a brave move around the outside to take the lead and ultimately the win.

Pos No. Driver Team Laps Time / Retired Grid
1 8   Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition 15 22min 12.255sec 2
2 9   Jehan Daruvala M2 Competition 15 + 0.851 s 1
3 22   Richard Verschoor Giles Motorsport 15 + 1.921 s 4
4 49   Thomas Randle Victory Motor Racing 15 + 2.512 s 5
5 11   Taylor Cockerton MTEC Motorsport 15 + 5.398 s 6
6 5   Pedro Piquet M2 Competition 15 + 6.059 s 7
7 62   Ferdinand Habsburg M2 Competition 15 + 6.416 s 3
8 65   Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport 15 + 7.898 s 8
9 3   Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 15 + 9.056 s 13
10 83   Kami Laliberté M2 Competition 15 + 10.055 s 11
11 51   Shelby Blackstock Victory Motor Racing 15 + 11.637 s 12
12 47   Keyvan Andres Soori Giles Motorsport 15 + 13.232 s 9
13 24   Ameya Vaidyanathan MTEC Motorsport 15 + 17.042 s 10
14 26   Harry Hayek Giles Motorsport 15 + 17.388 s 15
15 96   Luis Leeds Giles Motorsport 15 + 18.025 s 16
16 10   Thomas Neubauer MTEC Motorsport 15 + 18.414 s 18
17 12   Christian Hahn Giles Motorsport 15 + 19.324 s 17
18 27   Jean Baptiste Simmenauer M2 Competition 15 + 35.660 s 20
19 33   Kory Enders MTEC Motorsport 14 + 1 lap 14
Ret 80   Nikita Lastochkin Victory Motor Racing 7 Retired 19
Fastest lap: Richard Verschoor (Giles Motorsport) - 1:18.237
Source(s):[2]

Race 2 edit

In the reverse grid race, Thomas Randle took his first Toyota Racing Series win, followed by Verschoor and Armstrong. When crossing the line Taylor Cockerton was first, followed by Piquet and Randle. Cockerton and Piquet got a time penalty and therefore dropped in the race result.

Pos No. Driver Team Laps Time / Retired Grid
1 49   Thomas Randle Victory Motor Racing 15 19min 54.937sec 3
2 22   Richard Verschoor Giles Motorsport 15 + 6.119 s 4
3 8   Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition 15 + 7.627 s 6
4 11   Taylor Cockerton MTEC Motorsport 15 + 10.000 s 2
5 62   Ferdinand Habsburg M2 Competition 15 + 11.636 s 7
6 3   Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 15 + 12.456 s 9
7 51   Shelby Blackstock Victory Motor Racing 15 + 18.548 s 11
8 83   Kami Laliberté M2 Competition 15 + 19.032 s 10
9 26   Harry Hayek Giles Motorsport 15 + 19.325 s 14
10 47   Keyvan Andres Soori Giles Motorsport 15 + 23.841 s 12
11 96   Luis Leeds Giles Motorsport 15 + 23.874 s 15
12 65   Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport 15 + 24.507 s 8
13 33   Kory Enders MTEC Motorsport 15 + 25.290 s 19
14 24   Ameya Vaidyanathan MTEC Motorsport 15 + 26.073 s 13
15 80   Nikita Lastochkin Victory Motor Racing 15 + 29.466 s 20
16 10   Thomas Neubauer MTEC Motorsport 15 + 29.681 s 16
17 5   Pedro Piquet M2 Competition 15 + 30.000 s 1
18 27   Jean Baptiste Simmenauer M2 Competition 15 + 30.339 s 18
19 12   Christian Hahn Giles Motorsport 15 + 30.784 s 17
20 9   Jehan Daruvala M2 Competition 13 + 2 laps 5
Fastest lap: Taylor Cockerton (MTEC Motorsport) - 1:18.673
Source(s):[3]

Race 3 edit

Qualifying edit

Daruvala once again took the pole with a tight margin over Armstrong and Ahmed.

Pos No. Driver Team Time Grid
1 9   Jehan Daruvala M2 Competition 1:16.800 1
2 8   Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition 1:16.801 2
3 65   Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport 1:16.866 3
4 5   Pedro Piquet M2 Competition 1:17.067 4
5 11   Taylor Cockerton MTEC Motorsport 1:17.070 5
6 22   Richard Verschoor Giles Motorsport 1:17.072 6
7 49   Thomas Randle Victory Motor Racing 1:17.164 7
8 62   Ferdinand Habsburg M2 Competition 1:17.471 8
9 47   Keyvan Andres Soori Giles Motorsport 1:17.536 9
10 3   Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:17.549 10
11 51   Shelby Blackstock Victory Motor Racing 1:17.614 11
12 83   Kami Laliberté M2 Competition 1:17.638 12
13 33   Kory Enders MTEC Motorsport 1:17.669 13
14 26   Harry Hayek Giles Motorsport 1:17.685 14
15 96   Luis Leeds Giles Motorsport 1:17.707 15
16 80   Nikita Lastochkin Victory Motor Racing 1:18.014 16
17 10   Thomas Neubauer MTEC Motorsport 1:18.021 17
18 12   Christian Hahn Giles Motorsport 1:18.023 18
19 24   Ameya Vaidyanathan MTEC Motorsport 1:18.164 19
20 27   Jean Baptiste Simmenauer M2 Competition 1:19.038 20
Sources:[2]

Race edit

In what was an incident-marred race, Daruvala took his second consecutive Lady Wigram Trophy with Ahmed and Piquet rounding out the podium.

Pos No. Driver Team Laps Time / Retired Grid
1 9   Jehan Daruvala M2 Competition 20 37min 01.402sec 1
2 65   Enaam Ahmed Giles Motorsport 20 + 0.915 s 3
3 5   Pedro Piquet M2 Competition 20 + 1.401 s 4
4 22   Richard Verschoor Giles Motorsport 20 + 1.703 s 6
5 49   Thomas Randle Victory Motor Racing 20 + 2.124 s 7
6 62   Ferdinand Habsburg M2 Competition 20 + 2.694 s 8
7 3   Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 20 + 2.926 s 10
8 12   Christian Hahn Giles Motorsport 20 + 3.168 s 18
9 33   Kory Enders MTEC Motorsport 20 + 4.181 s 13
10 26   Harry Hayek Giles Motorsport 20 + 5.045 s 14
11 83   Kami Laliberté M2 Competition 20 + 5.923 s 12
12 11   Taylor Cockerton MTEC Motorsport 20 + 8.145 s 5
13 96   Luis Leeds Giles Motorsport 20 + 9.648 s 15
14 10   Thomas Neubauer MTEC Motorsport 20 + 13.926 s 17
15 51   Shelby Blackstock Victory Motor Racing 18 + 2 laps 11
Ret 8   Marcus Armstrong M2 Competition 16 Suspension 2
Ret 24   Ameya Vaidyanatahan MTEC Motorsport 11 Retired 19
Ret 27   Jean Baptiste Simmenauer M2 Competition 11 Spun off 20
Ret 47   Keyvan Andres Soori Giles Motorsport 10 Spun off 9
Ret 80   Nikita Lastochkin Victory Motor Racing 8 Spun off 16
Fastest lap: Jehan Daruvala (M2 Competition) - 1:19.499
Source(s):

Championship standings edit

Drivers' Championship standings
Pos. Driver Points
  1   Richard Verschoor 181
  2   Thomas Randle 178
  3   Jehan Daruvala 142
  4   Ferdinand Habsburg 136
  5   Marcus Armstrong 135

References edit

  1. ^ "Session". Race-monitor.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Session". Race-monitor.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Session". Race-monitor.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.