A wealth of motorsport expertise will help shape the next chapter of the GT New Zealand Championship, with Phil Shaw, Roland Dane and Nathan Pilcher among the leading appointments for the 2026/27 season.
Shaw takes on the role of Category Manager, Dane joins the championship as Driving Standards Observer (DSO), while Pilcher continues his established involvement with GT New Zealand as Porsche Endurance Trophy Coordinator.
Their appointments come as preparations continue for the new season, following Tony Quinn’s purchase of the championship from long-time owner Grant Smith on June 1.
“We’re incredibly excited about the team we’ve put together for our first season with GT New Zealand, and having Phil, Roland and Nathan come on board is a loud and proud statement of what we’re trying to achieve with the championship,” said GT New Zealand CEO Josie Spillane.
“They each bring something different, including their personalities, but between them there is an incredible amount of knowledge, professionalism and experience across so many areas of the sport. To be able to bring that together within GT New Zealand and the NextGen NZ Championship is something we’re really thrilled about, and I know they’ll each add a huge amount to helping us raise the bar even higher for New Zealand Motorsport.”
Shaw joins GT New Zealand after recently departing the Supercars Championship, where he spent 14 years as General Manager of Events and was involved across some of the championship’s biggest events, including the Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 500.
His time there also included a strong New Zealand connection, with Shaw heading the operations teams behind the inaugural Supercars events at Taupo and Christchurch.
He also arrives in the Category Manager role with some familiarity with GT racing, having been part of the management team operating the Bathurst 12 Hour.
“When Josie offered me the role, I didn’t hesitate. It was a chance to step into a side of GT racing I hadn’t previously been involved with, and that challenge really appealed to me,” said Shaw.
“With the combination of TQ and Josie taking ownership of the category, I knew it would be run professionally and with a clear vision for growth. They don’t do things by halves — when they commit to something, they elevate it.
“Being based in Australia, any opportunity to work more closely with the New Zealand motorsport community is something I jump at. It’s a beautiful country with a passionate racing culture, and the combination of GT New Zealand’s direction and the team already in place made this an opportunity I genuinely wanted to be part of.”
Shaw believes his time with Supercars has given him plenty to draw on as he steps into the Category Manager role.
“Working within that environment taught me how a category can function — from competitor management and event operations to communication, safety, and maintaining consistency across a season,” said Shaw.
“That experience is something I’m keen to bring to GT New Zealand. A well-run category gives competitors confidence, and confidence leads to growth.
“If we can provide a championship that is professionally operated, fair, consistent, and fun, competitors will keep coming back, and new ones will want to join.
“My goal is to help GT New Zealand continue evolving into a category that delivers that balance — high standards, exciting racing, and an environment where competitors genuinely enjoy being part of the championship.”
Another significant addition to GT New Zealand for the coming season is Roland Dane, who joins the championship as DSO.
Dane has been a major figure in Australian motorsport for decades, most notably through his time at the helm of Triple Eight Race Engineering. He remains present in the Supercars paddock today as Team Principal of PremiAir Racing.
His interests in the sport have always extended well beyond Supercars, with GT racing another category Dane has followed closely over the years.
“I very much enjoy GT and have been a big advocate of the GT4 category in particular, so I relish the opportunity to contribute to the NZ scene and help Josie to develop the series,” said Dane.
The DSO role also provides a chance to put his wider experience in the sport to use in a different capacity.
“I’ve been in the sport as both a driver and as an entrant for over 50 years. I’d like to think that I’ve developed a perspective that will help to guide everyone and work with the objective of having a safe and competitive season for one and all.”
While Shaw and Dane are both new additions to GT New Zealand for the coming season, Nathan Pilcher already has an established connection with the championship.
Pilcher has spent the past six years working across the Giltrap Group and Porsche New Zealand, helping grow the factory side of Porsche Motorsport in New Zealand. That role has also brought him increasingly closer to GT New Zealand over recent years.
“Working over the last 3 years with GT New Zealand and implementing the Porsche Endurance Trophy as a one-make series here has been a massive win for the sport and the direction that the Championship is heading certainly aligns with the Porsche ethos of racing,” said Pilcher.
“Porsche Motorsport globally has proven that the one-make series structure works, and to bring that part of it to the GT New Zealand Championship puts us on the world stage.”
That relationship has already given GT New Zealand an international presence within Porsche Motorsport, including recognition from Porsche Motorsport Germany and representation at the annual Porsche Night of Champions in Stuttgart.
With Pilcher remaining part of the GT New Zealand paddock, his continued involvement will also provide some continuity through a period of wider change.
“It’s always nice for people to have their comforts, but also the change is for the positive, and to get the best out of people, sometimes they need a change,” said Pilcher.
“All the changes that the teams and drivers might face this season are all in the right direction, and the team leading the charge in the championship are focused on lifting the standard of competition in New Zealand, which improves the experience for everybody, both competitors and spectators alike.”
It’s a sentiment shared across the three appointments, with plenty of enthusiasm for what lies ahead as GT New Zealand prepares for its first season under the new ownership.
The 2026/27 GT New Zealand Championship will get underway at Taupo International Motorsport Park from November 13-15, as part of the opening round of the NextGen NZ Championship.
2026/27 GT New Zealand Calendar:
- R1: Repco NextGen NZ Championship Season Opener – 13-15 November 2026 – Taupo International Motorsport Park
- R2: Ascot Park Hotel International – 22-24 January 2027 – Teretonga Park
- R3: NAPA 71st New Zealand Grand Prix – 29-31 January 2027 – Highlands Motorsports Park
- R4: Alliance Services Grand Finale – 26-28 February 2027 – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
- R5: Repco Supercars Championship Round – TBC 2027 – Taupo International Motorsport Park
Header Image: Supplied
