White The One They All Have To Beat In Taupo

Five rounds have taken place since last November and in keeping with every season of the Bridgestone GR86 Championship – they have been fiercely contested.

White currently sits 37 points ahead of Zach Blincoe – who has been his major rival this past season.

Both scored well at the New Zealand Grand Prix event – the fourth round – at the beginning of February but fared less well three weeks later at Manfeild - Circuit Chris Amon. The three races over that weekend were secured by reigning champion Hugo Allan – who won two – and circuit expert and home favourite Justin Allen.

Hugo Allan’s impressive weekend leapfrogged him past Josh Bethune and into third in the points, but he still has plenty of work to do if he is to retain the overall title.

Bethune too has shown his blistering pace on occasion this season but a late confirmation for round one seemed to leave his start to the championship a little flat and he is still playing catch-up.

Josh, however, remains ahead of Arthur Broughan on points, despite Arthur having dominated the first round last November and looked for all the world like a serious championship challenger. It’s not that he has not been on the pace, he was immensely quick at Highlands at the GP round, but luck has often deserted him.

Seventh and eighth in the points after Manfeild’s penultimate round are young gun (and a very young gun at that) Ajay Giddy and Australian Cooper Barnes. Wins this coming weekend are entirely possible for both.

Lee Zeltwanger, a rising star in NZ racing, secured the 2025-2026 Rookie title and with it the Brooklyn Horan Memorial Trophy with a round to spare after a very solid season to date that has seen him rising steadily through the grid. A race win will be the next step for the popular racer.

What price a debut win for Lee on the biggest stage the championship performs on each season? Don’t write off his chances of doing exactly that.

Track action begins with Friday morning practice, afternoon qualifying and then the first and second races on Saturday. The season finale takes place on Sunday morning.

2025-2026 Bridgestone GR86 Championship

Round 1 - 31 October - 2 November 2025, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park

Round 2 - 9 - 11 January 2026, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park

Round 3 - 23 - 25 January 2026, Teretonga Park, Invercargill

Round 4 - 30 January - 1 February 2026 70th New Zealand GP - Highlands Motorsport Park

Round 5 - 27 February - 1 March 2026, Manfeild - Circuit Chris Amon

Round 6 – 10-12 April 2026 - Taupo International Motorsport Park - Supercars

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