Brendon Hartley, Craig Baird, David Brabham, Roberto Moreno, Russell Ingall, Paul Radisich, Greg Murphy, Steven Richards and Kenny Smith are just some of the stars confirmed as making appearances at the Taupo Historic GP on January 10-12.
A 25-car Formula Atlantic field is expected to compete over the two days with a wide range of Ralts, Swifts and Reynards to make up the bulk of the field, including cars from Australia.
In addition to the celebrations of Ford and Formula Atlantics, the Historic GP will feature a variety of other historic categories that are competing including saloon cars, muscle cars, heritage touring cars and Formula 5000.
The Historic GP will include show and shines, demo laps, and the chance for fans to rub shoulders with Ford-associated celebrities who will be cutting laps and hosting meet-and-greets throughout the event.
Confirmed attendees include Le Mans 24 Hour winner Brabham, the latest addition to the list. The former F1 driver is visiting the event for the first time.
Moreno, another former Formula 1 driver, will feature in the Formula Atlantics, an era he is highly familiar with given his three AGP wins at Calder Park – in 1981, 1983 and 1984 – came at the wheel of these cars, dubbed Formula Pacific in Australia at the time.
Kiwi World Endurance Championship star Hartley, a three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans victor, will also make an appearance, as will New Zealand Grand Prix winner, Baird, who will drive demo laps in his 1991 NZGP-winning car.
Kiwi racing legend Kenny Smith will join Bathurst 1000 winners Steve Richards and Greg Murphy in the Formula Atlantic field, while two-time FIA Touring Car World Cup winner Radisich will demonstrate a Ralt RT4 Atlantic and race a Ford Mondeo in the Heritage Touring Cars class.
Steve Millen will also be appearing at the Historic GP, and the IMSA Champion is set to get behind the wheel in demonstrations.
Graeme Lawrence, the 1970 Tasman Series champion, is set to be at the event, as is open-wheeler star and New Zealand Touring Car Champion Brett Riley.
Ingall, the 2005 Supercars champion, will be reunited with his title-winning Caltex Stone Brothers Racing Falcon, which also brings SBR co-owners Ross and Jimmy Stone across the Tasman to witness the first run of the recently-restored car.
The Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship (CTFROC) will join the event as a nod to the future as the iconic cars and stars of the past are remembered and celebrated.
Reigning Repco Supercars Champion Will Brown will swap his Red Bull Ampol Camaro and return to his open-wheeler roots by competing in the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship round that is part of the event.
A full-field is expected for the CTFROC opener.
Further announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
Header Image: an1images.com
