New Zealand drivers made their presence felt on Day 1 of the Ferrari Challenge at Mount Panorama, kicking off the Bathurst 12 Hour support programme with pace, class wins and a near-podium finish.
With the stunning backdrop of Mount Panorama Circuit setting the scene, the Kiwi trio of Rick Armstrong, Richard Moore and Michael Walker all featured strongly across practice, qualifying and the opening race of the weekend.
Practice Pace Sets the Tone
Rick Armstrong (Ferrari 296 Challenge – MC Corsa) came out firing in Practice 1, completing nine laps and finishing second overall with a best time of 2:13.695s. He was just 1.056s shy of teammate Enzo Cheng’s benchmark 2:12.693s, immediately establishing himself as a contender.
Richard Moore (Ferrari 488 Challenge EVO – MC Corsa) slotted into sixth overall in the opening session. His 2:19.914s lap, set across eight laps, left him 7.275s off the outright pace but crucially made him the fastest driver in the TP4 class.
Michael Walker (Ferrari 296 Challenge – Zagame Autosport) rounded out the Kiwi contingent in 10th overall and third in class. His 2:30.579s best from eight laps placed him 17.9s off the outright time, though only 10.5s adrift of the fastest COP class runner.
Practice 2 saw a significant step forward — particularly from Armstrong. The MC Corsa driver topped the timesheets with a blistering 2:07.710s lap, laying down a clear marker ahead of qualifying after 12 laps of running.
Moore again impressed in TP4, finishing sixth overall with a 2:09.356s — just 1.645s off the session’s fastest time while maintaining his class advantage.
Walker also found more speed in the second session. His 2:14.285s best lap put him 11th overall and fourth in class, trimming the gap to the COP class benchmark to just 3.977s.
Qualifying Delivers Strong Grid Spots
Armstrong carried his momentum into qualifying, stopping the clock at 2:07.408s to secure third on the grid for Race 1. He was just 0.483s off pole, claimed by Cheng, with Antoine Gittany lining up alongside on the front row. It was a tight, competitive session at the front of the field.
Moore qualified fifth overall with a 2:09.697s lap — 2.772s off pole — but once again emerged as the fastest in the TP4 class, underlining his consistency across the day.
Walker placed 10th on the grid with a 2:12.706s effort, 5.781s shy of pole and fourth fastest in the COP class, positioning himself well for a charge in Race 1.
Race 1: Podium Just Out of Reach
When the lights went out for the first race of the weekend, the Kiwis converted their pace into results.
Armstrong narrowly missed out on a podium, finishing fourth overall and fourth in class. Despite falling just short of the trophies, he underlined his speed by setting the fastest lap of the race — a 2:08.542s — proving he had the outright pace to run at the front.
Moore delivered a clinical performance to take sixth overall and secure victory in the TP4 class. His fastest lap of 2:09.611s capped off a commanding class display and ensured Kiwi silverware on Day 1.
Walker completed a strong showing for the New Zealand contingent, finishing ninth overall to make it three Kiwis inside the top 10. His 2:14.330s fastest lap helped him secure third in the CS class, rounding out a productive opening day.
With pace, a class win and multiple top-10 finishes in the books, the Kiwi trio have laid a solid foundation heading into the remainder of the Ferrari Challenge weekend at Bathurst — and there’s every sign more could be on the way.
Header Image: Polish Perfection Detailing
