Jack Hawkeswood has been confirmed to take part in the New Zealand Rally Championship this season in a Toyota Yaris with support from Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ.
The season includes the Repco Rally New Zealand – a round of the World Rally Championship held September 29th-October 2nd.
Should Hawkeswood and co-driver Sarah Brennan make it to the Sunday leg of the rally it will be a special moment for Hawkeswood, as they would head out on the special stage held on family farmland named after two of his great grandfathers with whom he shares his name – “Jack’s Ridge”.
Hawkeswood, the 2020/2021 New Zealand Hillclimb Champion, will get behind the wheel of a AP4 Rally specification Toyota Yaris for the start of the 2022 campaign before moving to the Gazoo Racing ‘GR’ version of the car.
The 21-year-old is aiming to gain experience in New Zealand before going overseas to compete, with the first port of call likely to be the USA rally championship.
“It really is a privilege to be a part of TGRNZ this season in the New Zealand Rally Championship,” Hawkeswood said.
“Although I’m under no illusion that the competition will be the very best the championship has seen for years, I will certainly be aiming to be amongst the pointy end of the field, while bringing consistency and showcasing the skills learned from the Motorsport NZ Elite Academy over the last 12 months.”
“We are delighted to be supporting Jack in 2022 and hopefully he will be able to build a name for himself in the championship this year and catch everyone’s eye in Rally New Zealand of course, which will have a worldwide audience,” explained TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol.
“It’s also a big year for us in New Zealand with the factory TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team in action on our shores and a great opportunity for us to celebrate and promote our philosophy of finding NZ’s Next World Champion.”
Rally Otago, the first round of the New Zealand Rally Championship begins this coming weekend.
Picture Alastair Ritchie