The team have arrived at the Hampton Downs Motorpark on the outskirts of Auckland for the fourth weekend of the 2013 Toyota Racing Series and look to be settling in for a decent race weekend after two days of promising free practice.
However it looked like the weekend may not happen at all after essential track resurfacing at the newly constructed venue overran and the asphalt on three corners being re-laid only hours before the cars were due to take the track.
As a consequence Thursdays free practice was inconclusive as speed restrictions were applied in the affected areas. Particularly unhelpful for ETEC as they are fielding four debutants at this circuit.
Fortunately nobody had told Jann Mardenborough of his handicap and the Welshman was exceptional in not only learning the circuit but posting times at the front looking more and more of a contender as the sessions unfolded.
“I learnt the track really quickly” said Jann, “ I was able to make some changes to the car and the car felt perfect, I had confidence in what it would do everywhere on track”.
Mardenborough was only headed by the returning Mitch Evans now at GP2 level and multi race winner Alex Lynn. Not bad for a guy who was racing PlayStations last year and has only sat in a single seater race car for the first time here in New Zealand.
Tanart, ETECs only experienced runner also showed well, constantly in the top ten and looking the best he has this season. Calderon and Nandy were close up behind, learning the track more progressively but making good headway.
Singaporean Tang, the driver with the least experience in the team completed the ETEC runners ahead of tomorrows all important Qualifying sessions.