Martin’s perfect weekend crowns Collins and Annabell as 2025/26 F5000 title winners at Hampton Downs

Piha’s Grant Martin completed a flawless hat-trick of race wins at the Legends of Speed event at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, but the defining story of the 2025/26 SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series season finale was written in the championship standings — with Christchurch’s Anna Collins claiming the B Class title on 292 points and Hāwera’s Toby Annabell sealing the A Class honours on 314, as the series completed a historic first visit to the Northern Waikato circuit.

Sunday’s programme opened with an eight-lap scratch race, Martin again leading from the front to the chequered flag. Michael Hey pushed him hardest in the ex-Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 (HU28), the pair separated by just 0.435 seconds at the flag — the closest finish of the weekend. Tony Galbraith delivered his best result of the meeting in third, with Collins fourth and Richards fifth. Collins’ approach remained measured throughout: race competitively, protect the car, bank the result.

The season-closing 10-lap feature repeated the pattern. Martin led from start to finish, Hey again his closest pursuer — 0.485 seconds adrift — as the Talon MR1A and the Lawrence Lola produced the weekend’s most compelling contest. Collins ran a composed third, Richards fourth, Galbraith fifth. The B Class title was confirmed.

“The eyes were out for that final chequered flag,” said Collins. “It was so exciting to get there and a huge relief we had done it. While the aim was to get the car back in one piece, it was getting the best race result I could that was the extra thanks I could give my team — and the special thanks to dad and Alister Hey.”

Collins’ 132-point margin over the field at Round 4 reflected a season-long consistency that proved decisive. Glenn Richards finished the series in second place on 265 points — 27 adrift — with a resurgent Martin third on 242 after overcoming a difficult Round 3 retirement to dominate the finale.

For Annabell, Sunday was about completing the job with style. His A Class title was mathematically secure after Saturday’s race, but the Hāwera driver had his own agenda in the final two races.

“I worked hard for it today,” Annabell said. “Even though Saturday’s result meant I had won the title I dropped back a little today — and why I could then set about getting the fastest lap I could, getting a 1:06.” He was equally generous in his acknowledgements. “Thanks to my engine builder Richard Wagstaff from Hāwera — I’m very pleased with the new engine. Tony Roberts has had his name on that trophy for far too long so it was time for it to be mine. I was trying hard — he was not easy to beat.”

Among those watching from the pitlane was Graeme Lawrence, whose Lola T332 HU28 was being campaigned by Michael Hey — the car’s original pilot seeing it in action for the first time in Hey’s hands.

“It was wonderful to see — Michael really impressed me, especially as it was also his first race meeting in the car,” Lawrence said. “Also seeing Grant Martin drive around the outside at Turn 1 to pass Michael — it is special seeing the cars driven well. There was a lot of trust between them to do that.”

Lawrence was equally complimentary about the series’ newly crowned B Class winner. “Anna drove superbly — she’s really impressive to watch race. The work that Alister Hey and Mark Collins have put into that car really shows — in the Lola too.”

For Clyde Walters, Sunday brought the same story twice over. The South Auckland newcomer was chasing teething problems typical of a car’s first competitive outing, retiring after two laps in the morning race and four in the feature. Each attempt improved on the last, but a finish remained elusive. The 1968 Lola T142’s Hampton Downs debut will have given Walters plenty to work with ahead of next season.

Race 2 Results — 8 Laps (scratch grid)

Race 3 Results — 10 Laps

B Class — Final Series Standings

A Class — Final Series Standings