Kiwis Take Flight

Is there something in the water in New Zealand? For a country with a population well south of five million there’s no shortage of motorsport talent, as the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship is witnessing in 2017. We spoke to Kiwi Supercars legend Greg Murphy and MotorSport New Zealand CEO Brian Budd to find out the key to this success.

- John Bannon

New Zealand is well and truly on top of Australia in the latter’s premier motorsport category. The rise of DJR Team Penske to take up the fight to Red Bull Holden Racing Team has thrown the spotlight on New Zealanders Scott McLaughlin, Fabian Coulthard and reigning champion Shane van Gisbergen, all race winners this season.

While the emergence of three fast Kiwis at the pointy end of the Supercars standings might appear inconsequential, other than as a vehicle for some light-hearted trans-Tasman banter, McLaughlin, Coulthard and van Gisbergen are not the only New Zealanders impressing on the world stage.

When you take a look the success of multiple IndyCar champ Scott Dixon, World Endurance Championship winner Brendon Hartley, Formula E racer and GP2 race winner Mitch Evans, Le Mans 24 Hour winner Earl Bamber, World Rally Championship ace Hayden Paddon and the versatile and Supercars-bound Richie Stanaway, you quickly realise how much New Zealand talent is out there. And those names just scratch the surface.

In a rugby-obsessed nation, motorsport success mostly flies under the radar but the understated achievements of Kiwi racing drivers is steeped in history.

“I think it sort of comes back to the fact that we are a small nation and there is a strong desire to succeed here,” says MotorSport New Zealand CEO Brian Budd.

“I guess we like to beat Aussies but that’s beside the point. We definitely punch above our weight internationally in a whole range of sports and activities and motorsport is one of those. We’ve got a proud motorsport history going back to the days of Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon just to mention a few.”

Budd believes many young Kiwis have a go behind the wheel from a young age, which helps aspiring racers develop their skills early on.