Motorsport: I need to race smart, says Evans

Mitch Evans (pictured) and Earl Bamber are pushing each other for points in the tough Toyota Racing Series. Photo / Supplied

In-form Auckland motor racing driver Mitch Evans says he will need to be tactically smart if he is to emerge with the laurels from this weekend's finale of the Toyota Racing Series at Taupo.

At stake is a $10,000 winner's prize and, more importantly for Evans, 15, is the chance to also win the fully funded Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup test drive that goes with the title.

As expected, the battle for the series title will be a showdown between the St Kentigen's College student and fellow teen Earl Bamber, the former New Zealand A1 grand prix team driver.

Evans leads the series on 721 points after four rounds while Wanganui's New Zealand Grand Prix champion Bamber, 19, is second on 687 points.

But with three races over the weekend and 75 points available to the winner of each, the championship is far from settled.

The 34 points separating the pair is just one more than is available for finishing 10th in a race.

Points available from Taupo mean that mathematically Auckland's Andrew Waite, fourth on 626 points, and Taumarunui's Daniel Jileson, sixth on 529 points, are also championship contenders.

Honours are about even, with both the ambitious teens each winning three of the 12 races so far during a tense season.

Evans clinched the International Trophy title (contested over the four International rounds in January and February) at their most recent confrontation.

But Bamber upstaged him in a dramatic late charge to snatch the coveted NZGP win in round four at Manfeild in February.

"It's going to go down to the wire, it's going to be interesting, it's going to be hard," Evans told NZPA.

"But I think I'll be up to the challenge, hopefully I'll put my best together this weekend and bring it home."

Evans can boast of good form leading into Taupo - he swept to victory in all three races in the first round of the Australian Formula Three championship at Wakefield Park near Gouldburn in New South Wales two weekends ago.

"This weekend I need to be ahead or right behind Earl in all three races - and make sure I don't make any mistakes," Evans said.

"Earl didn't have a good start to the series but he has been coming on strong and definitely been pushing me to my limits."

Both drivers were under different sorts of pressure, he felt.

"He doesn't really have much to lose whereas I do.

"He can go all out and push and push, but if he doesn't succeed, he doesn't have much to lose and everything to gain, whereas I don't have much to gain but heaps to lose.

"That's what I have to take account of and try and use my head in that way and do enough to make sure I win the series."

Evans, who has taken pole position in every race in the series so far, said it will be important to for him start from the front again.

"Then you know you have got the pace and you can control the race from the front.

"If I still have a bit more speed than Earl, I'll try and beat him. But I'm not going to be doing anything silly because this is the championship I've always wanted to win, so I have to be smart about it."

- NZPA