TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand has confirmed a partnership with racing team RaceLab to field its two GR Supra GT4 EVO chassis in next season’s New Zealand GT Championship.
This year RaceLab celebrates ten years in NZ motorsport and during that time has been actively involved in a wide array of categories, including the Toyota 86 Championship, endurance racing and GT championships.
The full racing programme and driver line-up for the two cars is yet to be confirmed, but TOYOTA GAZOO Racing NZ Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol is delighted to have RaceLab on board with the project.
“We have seen how well RaceLab has worked with young drivers in the Toyota 86 Championship and they have a passion for developing home talent and turning it into a world class product,” he explained.
“There are many synergies there with our own long term goals and reasons for being in motorsport and they are a natural fit for us as we add this new element to our New Zealand motorsport operation.”
RaceLab founder Shane Helms is confident the new car can shine in a challenging and competitive GT environment, after the usual learning curve. RaceLab engineers have already been to Europe and have a good idea of what is to come, tuning the car to NZ’s challenging tracks.
“The NZ GT Championship is incredibly competitive, with diverse grids of powerful cars and highly experienced drivers,” Helms added.
“One of the main challenges is balancing performance within the series’ regulations while ensuring the car is at its peak across New Zealand’s unique circuits. Additionally, the varying track conditions, from tight technical corners to high-speed straights, mean that our cars need to be adaptable and reliable under any circumstance.
“There’s a steep learning curve, from understanding the car’s mechanical and aerodynamic behaviours to optimize it for different tracks. The GR Supra GT4 EVO, though well-proven internationally, will require setup adjustments to adapt to New Zealand’s circuits. It takes a lot of preparation, testing, and collaboration between drivers and engineers to unlock the car’s full potential. However, we’re confident in our team’s expertise and Toyota’s support to make the transition as smooth as possible.
“We expect the GR Supra GT4 to be highly competitive. Its balance and agility should allow it to perform exceptionally well on tighter circuits like Highlands Motorsport Park, while its power and top-end speed will be an asset on tracks like Teretonga Park.
“We’ve spent time with the KCMG team who have run the Kiwi drivers at the Nürburgring ADAC GT4 Germany event and other drivers elsewhere in the Supra to understand how they engineer the car and with our previous GT experience we’re optimistic about its potential to challenge for podiums right out of the gate.”
