Eighteen-year-old Cooper Barnes will join the grid for the Bridgestone GR86 Championship opener this coming weekend.
A winner in state championship races in karting, Barnes has solid pace in the Australian GR86 championship, shining at his second Bathurst finale recently and of course taking a race win and no fewer than six podiums in the New Zealand championship during an impressive first season in NZ.
Barnes – from Port Macquarie in New South Wales – started karting at the age of nine before switching to circuit racing at 14 with a season racing Excels. He started racing in Toyota 86s in 2024.
Cooper will be back with Rights Karts Academy by M2 Competition for what could turn into more than a one-off appearance.
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
Header Image: Bruce Jenkins
