Lando Norris secured one of his earliest titles in the New Zealand–based Toyota Racing Series in 2016, with Artem Markelov finishing second that year. The championship operated under the slogan “Finding the next New Zealand world champion,” and Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand manager Nicolas Caillol believes their series also contributed to Norris’s current success.
Caillol noted that it is an honor for them to see one of their graduates become a world champion, but their mission is not yet complete the search for a New Zealand Formula 1 world champion continues. Their main hope at the moment is Liam Lawson, whose career they are closely following while preparing the next generation of drivers.
