History Beckons At 69th New Zealand Grand Prix At Highlands

History beckons at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell this weekend, where the 69th Running of the New Zealand Grand Prix headlines Round 6 of the NextGen New Zealand Championship, presented by Repco.

Six classes will take to the track over the weekend at the 4.1km international-standard circuit, with the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship, Bridgestone GR86 Championship, Summerset GT New Zealand Championship and Napa Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship, joined by the Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing Series and the Pirelli Porsche Race Series.

“This is it, the crown jewel of motorsport in New Zealand,” said NextGen New Zealand Championship CEO Josie Spillane.

“The New Zealand Grand Prix is more than just a race. It’s a celebration of our motorsport heritage and a proving ground for the next generation of racing talent.

“We have an outstanding international lineup this year. Arvid Lindblad is chasing history, while Supercars stars Will Brown and Broc Feeney add to the spectacle with the ‘Battle of the Bulls’ showdown.

“The level of competition is world-class, and fans can expect an unforgettable showdown on one of New Zealand’s most spectacular circuits.

“We’re thrilled to bring the action to fans both at the track and around the world via the live stream on Stuff Speedhub. The Rock Grid Walk will be particularly special, allowing those in attendance to get up close to cars and competitors before the race.

“Whether in the grandstands at Highlands or watching from home, you’re in for a world-class motorsport spectacle, complemented by five of New Zealand’s most competitive classes.”

Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad has the potential to make history in the CTFROC season-finale at the event, where success in the New Zealand Grand Prix would see him become the only winner of all five feature races in the series' history.

Victory in the famed race would also result in his name being engraved on the trophy alongside the likes of current Formula 1 stars Lance Stroll, Lando Norris and Liam Lawson, as well as motorsport legends Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, John Surtees, Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren, who have won it before.

The ‘Battle of the Bulls’ showdown brings added competition for Lindblad, with Red Bull Ampol Racing Supercars stars Will Brown and Broc Feeney joining an already stacked field.

Zack Scoular is also looking to cap off his breakthrough season in style, entering the round as the top-ranked Kiwi with six podiums, including two wins, to his credit. He sits third in the standings, having wrapped up the rookie title with one round to spare, just six points behind American prodigy Nikita Johnson, who is yet to taste victory in New Zealand but has consistently challenged towards the front of the field.

This season’s other race winners, Matias Zagazeta and Sebastian Manson, are also contenders, as is Southland’s Alex Crosbie, another Kiwi hope who finished seventh in the 2024 New Zealand Grand Prix.

The Bridgestone GR86 Championship has a new leader, Hayden Bakkerus, at the top after a standout weekend at the Ascot Park Hotel Teretonga Park International.

Over two dozen new-model Toyota GR86 will make for a spectacle of racing at Highlands. The season has already seen eight winners across nine races, showcasing the depth of competition.

Justin Allen is one to watch as the only two-time winner across the 2024/25 season, as is Hugo Allan, who will be looking to bounce back from a challenging weekend at Teretonga.

Along with Bakkerus and Allan, who have one win apiece, Chris White, Emerson Vincent, Lachlan Evennett, Cameron Hill, and Cooper Barnes have also featured on the top step of the podium this season, hinting at another close weekend of thrilling action for Round 4 of the championship.

The Summerset GT New Zealand Championship also has a new leader entering the round, Joel Giddy, hitting the front after topping the Open Class at Teretonga in his Mercedes-AMG GT2.

Porsche 992 drivers Rick Armstrong and Sam Fillmore are hot on his heels, while Luke Manson, also in a Porsche, is in good form, having won the Teretonga feature. Paul Pedersen is another one to watch; his Mercedes-AMG GT2 is often towards the front of the field.

Fans will also have the opportunity to see Porsche Carrera Cup campaigner Marco Giltrap in action, the young Kiwi leading the Junior-Pro class.

In GT4, William Exton continues to dominate in a McLaren Artura, but the Toyota Supra GT4 EVO pairings of Allan Sargeant and Kaleb Ngatoa, and Ayrton Hodson and Mark Mallard, have made him work for his spoils, as has the Mercedes-AMG GT4 of James Sax.

One of the most competitive Napa Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship fields in recent memory will also feature at the New Zealand Grand Prix meet.

After one round, Blake Dowdall leads the way, holding a 24-point advantage over Dylan Grant, who has Will Neale, Australian up-and-comer Lincoln Taylor, and 2020/21 champion James Penrose hot on his heels.

This exciting class has seen drivers including Lawson, Andre Heimgartner, Richie Stanaway, Shane van Gisbergen, and Craig Baird win the championship en route to their successful careers in motorsport.

The Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing Nationals Series features for their second round of the season, which doubles as the final round of the South Island Series.

Timaru’s Will Kitching holds the advantage after two wins and a podium last weekend at Teretonga.

North Island Series leader Rex Edwards will be looking to recover from two challenging races on Sunday at Teretonga and move up the standings before the series moves to his familiar hunting grounds in the North Island.

Mac Templeton, a race winner in Round 1, Stuart Lawton, Callum Pratt, and Jesse Gould were among those to feature towards the front in at Teretonga.

Kitching can also wrap up the South Island title at Highlands, entering the event 83 points to the good of Matt Dodd, with top rookie Mac Berkett a further six points adrift.

Porsche 991.2 Cup Cars, 997.2 Cup Cars, 944 S2s, and 2.5 and 2.7 Boxsters make up an exciting and diverse field of machinery from the world-renowned German manufacturer in the Pirelli Porsche Race Series.

The penultimate round of their 2024/25 season is at the New Zealand Grand Prix, where five closely-fought classes will take to the track.

Brian Scott won two of the three races at Teretonga in a 991.2 Cup Car, while Daniel Angus won the other.

Tickets for the New Zealand Grand Prix are on sale now, and the action will be streamed live on the Stuff Speedhub for those unable to catch the action in person at Highlands.

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