New Zealand drivers were active across the opening round of the 2026 Monochrome GT4 Australia Championship at Phillip Island this past weekend, with competitive performances in both the Silver and Silver-AM classes highlighting the season’s first 60-minute races.
The weekend kicked off with Race 1, with Kiwi drivers delivering strong qualifying performances. William Exton, alongside co-driver Jack Johnson, secured sixth in the Silver class. Fellow Kiwi Tayler Bryant, paired with Rylan Gray, qualified 11th, while Kiwi Formula Ford Champion Blake Dowdall and co-driver Cooper Cutts took 14th. In the Silver-AM class, Kiwi Daniel Jilesen impressed with fourth alongside co-driver Ryder Quinn.
At the start, Cameron McLeod surged into the lead in the RM Racing Cars Ford Mustang, followed closely by Tom Hayman’s Method Motorsport McLaren. The race’s early pace was interrupted when the Norganic Proteins Porsche suffered a mechanical failure, spilling coolant across part of the track and prompting the first safety car. The slippery conditions caused several drivers to run wide, testing the Kiwi competitors’ early-race strategy.
When racing resumed with 43 minutes remaining, Exton restarted in eighth overall (fifth in class), Dowdall in 13th (seventh in class), and Bryant in 17th (ninth in class), with Dowdall the only Kiwi duo to gain positions immediately. As the race unfolded, Exton slipped to 11th overall and sixth in class, while Bryant and Dowdall battled mid-field.
Pit stops around the 20-minute mark saw Kiwi drivers make their driver changes: Johnson into the McLaren for Exton, Gray taking over Bryant’s Toyota Supra, and Cutts jumping in for Dowdall. Post-pit, Bryant/Gray managed an 8th-place overall finish and seventh in class, while Exton/Johnson were promoted to 11th overall and ninth in class after post-race penalties. Dowdall/Cutts completed the race 24th overall and 13th in class.
Jilesen and Quinn dominated the Silver-AM class in the Thunder Buddies Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82, securing the first class victory of the season, while Lochie Dalton and Aaron Cameron claimed the Silver class win following a penalty to McLeod and Mason Harvey.
Race 2 saw Aaron Cameron take an early lead in the Multispares Racing Ford Mustang, with Kiwi William Exton set to take over the McLaren Artura mid-race. Bryant had an early off-track excursion in the DNA Autosport Toyota, dropping him to 13th overall, while Dowdall’s teammate Cooper Cutts sat 18th at the end of the opening lap.
As the race progressed, Johnson briefly held sixth overall and in class before a safety car was triggered by Mason Harvey’s heavy crash. During the safety car period, teams executed their compulsory pit stops, including Kiwi driver swaps. Exton rejoined in fourth, Bryant in fifth, and Dowdall in 18th, with positions shifting as the final pit stops played out.
Tom Hayman and Jett Murray crossed the line first, though a 60-second penalty to Paley/Wallace and a 20-second penalty to Exton/Johnson affected final standings. Exton/Johnson were classified sixth overall and fourth in class, Dowdall/Cutts finished ninth overall and sixth in class, while Bryant/Gray took 12th overall and seventh in class. The Silver-AM podium featured Cameron Crick/Dean Campbell, Lachlan Evennett/Andrew Torti, and Jilesen/Quinn in third.
Kiwi Highlights
- Daniel Jilesen & Ryder Quinn – Dominant in Silver-AM Race 1 victory; consistent in Race 2 to secure a Silver-AM podium.
- William Exton & Jack Johnson – Strong qualifying and mid-field battles, narrowly missing a podium in Race 2 after penalties.
- Tayler Bryant & Rylan Gray – Solid recovery drives after early setbacks, finishing top 12 in both races.
- Blake Dowdall & Cooper Cutts – Competitive efforts with consistent midfield finishes, showing strong race craft throughout the weekend.
The opening round at Phillip Island provided the Kiwi drivers with a mix of challenges, including early race incidents and penalty adjustments, yet all four pairings demonstrated pace, resilience, and tactical awareness. The season ahead promises further opportunities for these New Zealand competitors to stake their claim in both Silver and Silver-AM classes.
Header Image: Monochrome GT4 Australia
