Bridgestone GR86 Championship Rookie of the Year for the 2025-2026 season, Lee Zeltwanger is set to impress as he takes to the track for his first race later this morning at one of the Toyota 86’s highest-profile race weekends worldwide, the Bathurst 1000 round.
The big weekend caps an impressive run for Zeltwanger, who burst onto the Toyota 86 scene last winter by winning the Toyota 86 Trophy Series. That earned him a pathway prize: a full season in the main game, the Bridgestone GR86 Championship. He won the rookie trophy, which secured him a spot at Bathurst.
As part of an exclusive support cast for the Bathurst 1000 Supercars showcase, the Toyota 86 round at Mount Panorama draws huge interest and large competitive fields each year. Zeltwanger, though, is keen to impress on his first visit to the track and his first racing weekend in Australia.
In Thursday practice and qualifying, Lee settled in nicely, posting top-twenty times before a qualifying run that netted 24th on the grid.
“It’s great to see Lee out there,” said Bridgestone GR86 Category Manager Amanda Kibble. “It’s amazing what he has achieved over the past couple of seasons, and he represents exactly what is achievable from our pathway programme.
“Last year he was a new name on the block and racing in our grassroots series for the first time and now, Bathurst!
“We’re sure he’ll acquit himself well over the weekend and hope that it not only completes a good year for him but also sets him up for a great 2027.”
Zeltwanger’s first race is later today, with the second race on Saturday and the feature race on Sunday as part of the big pre-race build-up to Supercars’ flagship race.
Header Image: Bruce Jenkins
