The 2026/27 GT New Zealand Championship roars to life this weekend at Taupō International Motorsport Park, with returning champions, established contenders, and fresh talent preparing to battle it out in the NextGen NZ Championship Season Opener.
It’s the beginning of a new chapter for the championship, following The Quinn Group’s takeover earlier this year, with a revised race format and restructured classes among the changes being introduced.
Each weekend will now feature two 20-minute Sprints and two 45-minute Enduros, providing more than two hours of racing and additional track time for competitors, while giving fans more GT action to enjoy.
The class structure has also been revised, with GT3 competitors battling for the prestigious Porsche Endurance Trophy, while the GT4 field is split into Silver, Silver Am and Am classes, offering more opportunities to compete for championship honours.
Among those returning to contest the Porsche Endurance Trophy are last season’s runner-up Nigel Cromie, former champion Sam Fillmore and recent race winner Regan Scoullar. Tony Quinn is back aboard the #101 Porsche, while former rugby star Ollie Gibbons prepares to make his championship debut.
In GT4, reigning champion Glen Chappel teams up with Australian youngster Lachlan Evennett in their Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, with RaceLab teammate Allan Sargeant returning for another shot at championship honours.
Seventeen-year-old Matt Day returns for his first full championship campaign in a Mercedes-AMG GT4, while two McLaren Artura GT4 entries add further interest to the field. Josh Bethune and Wei Zhou make their championship debut after success in the South Island Endurance Series, while GT4 Australia competitors Kent Quinn and Caleb Paterson round out the line-up.
With more entries expected in the coming rounds, the focus for now is getting the 2026/27 championship underway at Taupō.
The weekend begins on Friday with two Practice sessions and Qualifying, before the first 20-minute Sprint gets underway at 11:10am on Saturday. A 45-minute Enduro follows at 3:41pm, with Sunday’s races scheduled for 12:03pm and 3:38pm respectively.
For those unable to make it in person, the action will be broadcast live across Saturday and Sunday on Sky Sport and Sky Sport Now in New Zealand, with international viewers able to follow the racing through the Repco NextGen NZ Championship YouTube channel.
For more information, including the full entry list, weekend schedule and ticket options, visit the Repco NextGen NZ Championship website.
Header Photo: Supplied
