New Zealand Grand Prix

New Zealand Grand Prix

Highlands Motorsport Park (2024)
Race information
Number of times held	68
First held	1950
Most wins (drivers)	Stirling Moss (3) Jack Brabham (3) Craig Baird (3) Ken Smith (3) Nick Cassidy (3)
Most wins (constructors)	Tatuus (18)
Circuit length	4.100 km (2.548 miles)
Race length	114.8 km (71.3 miles)
Laps	28
Last race (2024)
Pole position
Liam Sceats M2 Competition 1:27.720
Podium
1. Liam Sceats M2 Competition 2. Callum Hedge mtec Motorsport 3. Michael Shin M2 Competition
Fastest lap
Roman Bilinski M2 Competition 1:29.398

The New Zealand Grand Prix, sometimes known as the New Zealand International Grand Prix, is an annual motor racing event held in New Zealand. First held in 1950, it is best known for hosting rounds of the Tasman Series in the 1960s and 1970s. It is currently run as the signature race of the Formula Regional Oceania Championship.

It is one of only two current national Grand Prix events that are not part of the Formula One World Championship, the other being the Macau Grand Prix.^[1]

History

The race was once an important race on the international calendar, most notably when it was a part of the Tasman Series. In this era, several contemporary Formula One drivers would compete in the race, often with great success. Six Formula One World Drivers' Champions have won the New Zealand Grand Prix, including three-time champions Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Jackie Stewart.^[2] In the years following the demise of the Tasman Series, Formula One drivers did not regularly compete in extra-curricular races, and as such the New Zealand Grand Prix lost many of its big-name entrants. It was run for smaller local or continental formulae in the 1990s and 2000s such as Formula Holden.

From 2006 to 2020, the race was run as part of the Toyota Racing Series, which has gained international prominence due to the championship being held over the Northern Hemisphere winter. This has resulted in many international drivers, particularly young developmental drivers, joining the championship in their traditional off-season, thus restoring a level of prestige to the event.^[2] It is seen as a stepping stone to larger open-wheeler classes, such as Formula 3, and beyond, and drivers such as Daniil Kvyat, Alex Lynn, Lance Stroll and Lando Norris have competed in the race and then gone on to compete as race or test drivers in Formula One.^[2] From 2023, it will be part of the Formula Regional Oceania Championship.

In its history, the race has been held in eight different locations across New Zealand. Pukekohe Park Raceway in Pukekohe has been the most common venue, with the race being held there 29 times. The Circuit Chris Amon, formerly Manfeild Autocourse, in Feilding hosted the event between 2008 and 2020.^[3] Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, which had campaigned to host the event for several years, became the new host of the event in 2021.^[4][5] Due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 event was only contested by New Zealand drivers, with Supercars Championship regulars Shane van Gisbergen and Andre Heimgartner joining the field alongside past winners Greg Murphy and Ken Smith, who contested his 50th New Zealand Grand Prix.^[6] Van Gisbergen won the event, despite starting from pitlane due to a pre-race issue.^[7]

Winners

Hampton Downs, used in 2021 and 2023

Teretonga Park, used in 2002–2007

Ruapuna Park, used in 1998–1999

Manfeild, used 1992–1995, 2008–2020

Pukekohe Park (1990–2012), used in 1990–1991 and 2000

Wigram Airfield Circuit, used in 1974

Pukekohe Park (1967–1989), used 1967–1973, 1975–1989

Pukekohe Park (1963–1966), used in 1963–1966

Ardmore Circuit, used in 1954–1962

Ohakea, used in 1950

Year	Winner	Car	Class	Circuit	Report
1950	John McMillan	Jackson Special Ford	Formula Libre	Ohakea Circuit	Report
1951 – 1953	Not held
1954	Stan Jones	Maybach Special	Formula Libre	Ardmore Circuit	Report
1955	Prince B. Bira	Maserati 250F			Report
1956	Stirling Moss	Maserati 250F			Report
1957	Reg Parnell	Ferrari 555/860			Report
1958	Jack Brabham	Cooper T43 Climax			Report
1959	Stirling Moss	Cooper T45 Climax			Report
1960	Jack Brabham	Cooper T51 Climax			Report
1961	Jack Brabham	Cooper T53 Climax			Report
1962	Stirling Moss	Lotus 21 Climax			Report
1963	John Surtees	Lola Mk4 Climax		Pukekohe Park Raceway	Report
1964	Bruce McLaren	Cooper T70 Climax	Tasman Series (Tasman Formula)		Report
1965	Graham Hill	Brabham BT11A Climax			Report
1966	Graham Hill	BRM P261	Tasman Series		Report
1967	Jackie Stewart	BRM P261			Report
1968	Chris Amon	Ferrari 246T Ferrari V6			Report
1969	Chris Amon	Ferrari 246T Ferrari V6			Report
1970	Frank Matich	McLaren M10A Chevrolet	Tasman Series (Formula 5000)		Report
1971	Niel Allen	McLaren M10B Chevrolet			Report
1972	Frank Gardner	Lola T300 Chevrolet			Report
1973	John McCormack	Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden			Report
1974	John McCormack	Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden		Wigram Airfield Circuit	Report
1975	Warwick Brown	Lola T332 Chevrolet		Pukekohe Park Raceway	Report
1976	Ken Smith	Lola T332 Chevrolet	Formula 5000		Report
1977	Keke Rosberg	Chevron B34	Formula Pacific		Report
1978	Keke Rosberg	Chevron B34			Report
1979	Teo Fabi	March 79B			Report
1980	Steve Millen	Ralt RT1			Report
1981	David McMillan	Ralt RT1			Report
1982	Roberto Moreno	Ralt RT4 Ford			Report
1983	David Oxton	Ralt RT4 Ford	Formula Mondial		Report
1984	Davy Jones	Ralt RT4 Ford	Formula Pacific		Report
1985	Ross Cheever	Ralt RT4 Ford			Report
1986	Ross Cheever	Ralt RT4 Ford			Report
1987	Davy Jones	Ralt RT4 Ford			Report
1988	Paul Radisich	Ralt RT4 Ford			Report
1989	Dean Hall	Swift Cosworth			Report
1990	Ken Smith	Swift Cosworth
1991	Craig Baird	Swift Toyota
1992	Craig Baird	Reynard 92H	Formula Atlantic	Manfeild Autocourse
1993	Craig Baird	Reynard 92H
1994	Greg Murphy	Reynard 90D Holden	Formula Brabham
1995	Brady Kennett	Reynard 91D Holden
1996 – 1997	Not held
1998	Simon Wills	Reynard 94D Holden	Formula Holden	Ruapuna Park	Report
1999	Simon Wills	Reynard 94D Holden			Report
2000	Andy Booth	Reynard 94D Holden		Pukekohe Park Raceway	Report
2001	Not held
2002	Fabian Coulthard	Van Diemen Stealth RF94 Ford	Formula Ford	Teretonga Park	Report
2003	Jonny Reid	Van Diemen Stealth RF94 Ford			Report
2004	Ken Smith	Van Diemen Stealth Evo2 Ford			Report
2005	Simon Gamble	Spectrum 010 Ford			Report
2006	Hamad Al Fardan	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota	Toyota Racing Series		Report
2007	Daniel Gaunt	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2008	Andy Knight	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota		Manfeild Autocourse (Circuit Chris Amon)^1	Report
2009	Daniel Gaunt	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2010	Earl Bamber	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2011	Mitch Evans	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2012	Nick Cassidy	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2013	Nick Cassidy	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2014	Nick Cassidy	Tatuus FT-40 Toyota			Report
2015	Lance Stroll	Tatuus FT-50 Toyota			Report
2016	Lando Norris	Tatuus FT-50 Toyota			Report
2017	Jehan Daruvala	Tatuus FT-50 Toyota			Report
2018	Richard Verschoor	Tatuus FT-50 Toyota			Report
2019	Liam Lawson	Tatuus FT-50 Toyota			Report
2020	Igor Fraga	Tatuus F.3 T-318 "FT-60" Toyota			Report
2021	Shane van Gisbergen	Tatuus F.3 T-318 "FT-60" Toyota		Hampton Downs Motorsport Park	Report
2022	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 border restrictions[8]
2023	Laurens van Hoepen	Tatuus F.3 T-318 "FT-60" Toyota	Formula Regional Oceania Championship	Hampton Downs Motorsport Park	Report
2024	Liam Sceats	Tatuus F.3 T-318 "FT-60" Toyota		Highlands Motorsport Park	Report

Notes

• ^1 – The Manfeild Autocourse was renamed the Circuit Chris Amon in late 2016.^[9]

Multiple winners

By driver

Wins	Driver	Years
3	Jack Brabham	1958, 1960, 1961
	Stirling Moss	1956, 1959, 1962
	Craig Baird	1991, 1992, 1993
	Ken Smith	1976, 1990, 2004
	Nick Cassidy	2012, 2013, 2014
2	Graham Hill	1965, 1966
	Chris Amon	1968, 1969
	John McCormack	1973, 1974
	Keke Rosberg	1977, 1978
	Ross Cheever	1985, 1986
	Davy Jones	1984, 1987
	Simon Wills	1998, 1999
	Daniel Gaunt	2007, 2009

By constructor

Wins	Constructor
17	Tatuus
9	Ralt
7	Reynard
5	Cooper
4	Lola
3	Ferrari
	Swift
	Van Diemen
2	Maserati
	BRM
	McLaren
	Elfin
	Chevron

By country

Wins	Country	Years
32	New Zealand	1950, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2024
10	Australia	1954, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
9	United Kingdom	1956, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 2016
5	United States	1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989
2	Finland	1977, 1978
	Brazil	1982, 2020
	Netherlands	2018, 2023

References

1. Grand Prix a brand http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Race/news/news1Aug07NZGP.pdf Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
2. Thompson, Eric (13 February 2016). "Timing and prestige distinguish NZGP". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
3. "High-speed space for sale at Manfeild". MotorSport NZ. MotorSport New Zealand. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
4. Kilmister, Sam (3 February 2017). "Manfeild: Attend the New Zealand Grand Prix or risk losing it". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
5. O'Brien, Connor (20 January 2021). "Quinn devastated to miss NZGP". Speedcafe. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
6. "Unique New Zealand Grand Prix Set To Make History This Weekend | Scoop News". Scoop. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
7. Chapman, Simon (24 January 2021). "Last to first: Van Gisbergen wins extraordinary NZGP". Speedcafe. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
8. Herrero, Daniel (11 January 2022). "2022 NZGP Cancelled". Speedcafe.com.
9. Kilmister, Sam (25 November 2016). "Manfeild track renamed after New Zealand motor racing great Chris Amon video". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 February 2017.

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20110303011741/http://www.motorsport.org.nz/the-new-zealand-grand-prix/