NZ’s high performing Motorsport athletes standing top of podiums around the world in 2023. Kiwi men and women are not only achieving success at pointy end of both FIA and FIM Motorsport Series, but are also leading Championship standings from road, to rally, to all-electric, to dirt in Europe and America.
The success of Kiwi driver’s, rider’s, and racers has to be put into perspective, that NZ has population of mere 5.1 million and manages to punch above their weight on the world motorsport stage. From 21 year old Liam Lawson Red Bull Junior Driver, to Formula E driver’s Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans, to Emma Gilmour McLaren Extreme E, to Hayden Paddon Rally, Courtney Duncan WMX and Rachael Archer GNCC WXC, to Scott McLaughlin Indy 500 and Shane van Gisbergen Super Cars, each represents true grit and determination to achieve great heights in their respective careers.
Making move to compete in Japan’s Super Formula Series, Red Bull Junior driver Liam Lawson has shown exemplary ability to adapt to change from competing in F3 and F2 Championships for past 4 seasons, winning 2 races from 4 under Team Mugen in Japan.
Leading the Championship table with 57 points from P2 overall driver Ritomo Miyata, Lawson proves and confirms his ability to remain focused on track, pushing outside his comfort zone to gain forward trajectory of his career. Most certainly, Lawson has eyes firmly fixed on gaining F1 drive.
Formula E driver’s Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans completed 1-2 step of the podium at Round 9 in Monaco on May 6. Having already nailed 2 wins for Evans in Round 6 at San Paulo and Round 7 at Berlin, and Cassidy taking P2 in Rounds 4 and 6, P3 in Round 5, and now leading the Championship, the remaining 7 Rounds will be a real clincher.
Emma Gilmour McLaren has pushed level of driving ability to the test, competing in 2022 – 2023 Extreme E Championship. Becoming the first woman to race under the iconic Brand, Gilmour has embraced the opportunity to race the Series Odyssey 21 car gaining podium standings in 2022 and at 2023 Round 4 in Scotland on May 14.
Kiwi Rally driver Hayden Paddon has put paid to the mind-set that if you sustain self-belief results will be forth-coming. Leading the 2023 European Rally Championship with co-driver John Kennard (BRC Racing Team) the following 5 Rounds will test the mettle of the New Zealander’s who hold 37 points ahead of P2 overall.
Women Motocross Champion Courtney Duncan 3x has achieved impressive results in her 8th season racing the world’s best women MX rider’s over course of 6 Rounds. Claiming double moto wins in Round 3 in Spain, followed by Round 4 in France, Duncan has extended her lead in the Championship table to 185 points – 20 points clear of Spanish rider Daniela Guillen in P2.
Known for her sheer tenacity, mental stamina and physical drive to perform at the highest possible level on track, NZ’s Rachael Archer keeps knocking records out, winning 2023 GNCC WXC Round 7, making it 5 wins in a row. Hardly surprising to learn that Rachael has turned setting goal to race in America’s most prestigous National Cross-Country Series into reality, Archer makes it clear she aims to back up winning her first GNCC WXC Title in 2022, to repeat in 2023.
Kiwi racing icons Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen have already amassed tally of Championship Titles over their careers with McLaughlin winning Australia’s Super Cars Championship in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Making the move to compete in America’s Indy Car Series in 2021, McLaughlin gained top step of the podium in 2023 Indy 500 Round 4 on May 13.
Recounting the victories Shane van Gisbergen has achieved on track, most notably winning Australia’s Super Cars Championship in 2021 and 2022, along with claiming 2021 Bathurst 6 Hour Title, all of which is far cry from watching the likeable Kiwi race quad around a local sand-track back home in 2007. Who could forget, Shane leaning that machine on 2 wheels around a track corner, with 2 tyres facing skywards, and then somehow re-aligning the thing to cross the finish line first!
Great success by all Kiwi’s doing NZ proud on the world motorsport stage.
Header photo: Liam Lawson winning Super Formula Round 4 in Japan. Image: Team Mugen.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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