New Zealand’s Hunter Robb has made an impressive start to his 2026 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia campaign, securing the overall round victory at Phillip Island after a strong and consistent weekend.
The Jones Motorsport driver claimed two race wins across the opening two encounters before recovering from a difficult final race to lock in the Pro class round honours and take an early lead in the championship.
Robb’s weekend began in the best possible way, converting pole position into his first race win in the category during Saturday’s opening race.
Getting off the line cleanly in tricky conditions, he quickly settled into the lead and controlled the race from the front. While there was plenty of action behind him — including a tight battle for second — Robb remained composed and avoided trouble to lead every lap.
It was a measured drive, managing the conditions and pressure well to take a deserved first win and lay the foundation for the rest of the weekend.
Starting from pole again in Race 2, Robb backed up his Saturday performance with another controlled drive.
He made a strong start to build an early gap before a Safety Car interrupted the race following an incident elsewhere. That brought the field back together, but Robb handled the restart calmly and maintained his position at the front.
A second Safety Car further reduced green flag running, but Robb timed the final restart well and avoided the incidents behind to take his second win of the weekend. Despite limited racing laps, he showed good control and race management to go two from two.
Race 3 proved far more challenging.
An early clash while fighting for the lead at Turn 1 saw Robb spun around and forced into pit lane, dropping him to the back of the field and putting his round result under pressure.
From there, the focus shifted to recovery and points. Robb worked his way back through the field as a busy race unfolded at the front, with multiple drivers in contention and late-race drama impacting the lead battle.
In the end, Robb finished 10th in class — enough to secure the overall round win thanks to his earlier results.
The weekend result marks Robb’s first round win in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia and highlights a well-rounded performance across all three races.
Despite the setback in the final race, his ability to maximise results earlier in the weekend proved crucial.
Robb now leads the championship heading into Round 2 at The Bend in May, carrying strong momentum from the opening round.
Header Image: Porsche Motorsport Australia/Jones Motorsport
