Taylor Mitchell – winner of the CareVets Scholarship and the 2026 Toyota 86 Trophy Series – won’t change his winning approach for his first season in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship.
Hamilton-based Mitchell confirmed his full campaign this week – the first driver to do so. The 18-year-old will continue his relationship with CareVets Racing and will step up to the team’s GR86 for the five-round championship.
Taylor backed up his win in the CareVets Scholarship by making the most of his prize entry into the Toyota 86 Trophy Series over the winter. Starting his campaign conservatively, he learned rapidly and finished with a memorable title-winning drive in the deciding race of the season at Manfeild.
A stellar 2025-2026 season for Mitchell also included finishing sixth overall in the BMW Driver Series – and second in the BMW endurance series. Feet firmly on the ground, he’s under no illusion about how hard the step up to the main game, the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, will be.
“It’s a massive step up,” he said.
“There will always be pressure when you’re racing at this level, but I think the best way to deal with it is to focus on driving rather than thinking too much about anything else. I want to keep learning, be consistent, and show what I can do against a really strong field.
“If I can put together a good season, hopefully that opens some doors for the future, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
A strong season looks odds-on for Mitchell, and he is hoping he can do enough to maintain what has been a stand-out run on the track.
“I think the first goal is not to put unrealistic expectations on myself straight away,” he added.
“That said, I definitely want to be fighting towards the front, scoring consistent podiums and putting myself in a position to fight for wins if everything comes together.
“I’d also like to be in championship contention, or at least fighting for the Rookie Championship. But most importantly, I want to show that I belong in the category and to continue building towards the next step in my career.”
Along with his prize-winning drive in the CareVets car, Taylor’s campaign this coming season will also be supported by Maxus Caravans, Prosport Auto, Cambridge Auto Electric, Tony Richards Toyota, OCL and family-owned Mitchell Race Xtreme.
The Bridgestone GR86 Championship – which once again runs with the premier-level NextGen NZ Motorsport Championship series – gets underway in two months at the Taupo International Motorsport Park.
Header Image: Bruce Jenkins
