Kiwi racers overseas

[smokin'joe]

fresh extended contract , with extended championship............. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motorsp...to-World-Rally

good stuff !!

[NZSTfan]

Agree joe.....fantastic news!!

[GHOGH]

Ford are possibly attempting Le Mans with Chip Ganassi.
http://autoweek.com/article/sports-c...p-ganassi-2016

Could it be Dixon in Ford vs Bamber in a similar class Porsche at Le Mans?

[GHOGH]

Dixon, Bamber and Van Gisbergen at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in Porsches this weekend.

http://www.imsa.com/races/rolex-24-daytona-0

Dixon p2 on grid, (Bamber 32, Van Gisbergen 43)

[The Realist]

Great to see Hayden Paddon's WRC car, and international sponsorship.
Down here in NZ we often underestimate how big the WRC is Globally.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2015/02/02/...ndai-revealed/

[Gingers4Justice]

Earl Bamber joins the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, sharing a car with Nico Hulkenberg and Nick Tandy.

That makes two Kiwis in two works Porsches. Has a New Zealander ever won Le Mans?

[pukekoheracer]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Earl Bamber joins the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, sharing a car with Nico Hulkenberg and Nick Tandy.

That makes two Kiwis in two works Porsches. Has a New Zealander ever won Le Mans?

Sure have, and Two Kiwis won Le Mans in 1966, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon won in a Ford GT40, and Denny Hulme was just behind in 2nd sharing with Ken Miles.

Also Howden Ganley had a great chance to win 1972, but finished 2nd in a Matra.

That's pretty amazing to see 2 Drivers from New Zealand in the same Porsche Prototype team at Le Mans. I am guessing Earl and his Mates in the 3rd car will get a warm up race.

[pukekoheracer]

Originally Posted by GHOGH

Dixon, Bamber and Van Gisbergen at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in Porsches this weekend.

http://www.imsa.com/races/rolex-24-daytona-0

Dixon p2 on grid, (Bamber 32, Van Gisbergen 43)

Don't forget Brendon Hartley did Daytona as well

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by pukekoheracer

Sure have, and Two Kiwis won Le Mans in 1966, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon won in a Ford GT40, and Denny Hulme was just behind in 2nd sharing with Ken Miles.

Also Howden Ganley had a great chance to win 1972, but finished 2nd in a Matra.

That's pretty amazing to see 2 Drivers from New Zealand in the same Porsche Prototype team at Le Mans. I am guessing Earl and his Mates in the 3rd car will get a warm up race.

Knew it would be someone obvious! Thank you. Cool how it happened in the same year.

And you're right, they're penciled in for the 6 Hours of Spa in May.

[NZSTfan]

This is great news.

[NZSTfan]

Massive respect to Hayden Paddon for his efforts on the snow so far. And in someone else's car too!
Certainly looking like the real deal so far this year, and as i understand, only his 2nd time on snow.
Fantastic

[The Realist]

Congratulations to Hayden Paddon on his very credible 5th place in Rally Sweden.
Manufacturers points as well.

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by Mark Petch

Sitting here in Shanghai, watching 'Adcafe's' Bathurst blog was like Chinese torture. I haven't missed a Bathurst weekend for a very long time and not being able to do anything but listen to a keyboard announcement of the next update, sometimes as much as 5 minutes apart was share hell! Don't get me wrong I am grateful for Speedcafe's blog but it could be soooo much better.

Reading SVG's pole run was just fantastic, lets just hope that Jonathon can back him up a little better this time. Well done to the whole Tekno team. One very proud Kiwi

Another reason to be a proud Kiwi once again was watching Fabian Coulthard's great race on Saturday, a dominant performance and a great result for BJR who seem to have recovered their lost pace at last.

What a nail biter watching SVG's fantastic and "oh so polite" late race charge on Courtney, very PC, but hardly necessary considering all of the other bump and runs that went on during the same race, not to mention JW's 'racing incident' on the last lap with Mostert!

In my view it was SVG's corner and he should not have redressed, but then again maybe SVG is showing the maturity needed to win the Championship this year.

[socram]

Must have also been a very proud moment when Kiwis were running 1-2-3 at one stage.

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by socram

Must have also been a very proud moment when Kiwis were running 1-2-3 at one stage.

Ray, you are right, thanks for reminding me.

What I am more concerned about is you, I cant believe you sat in front of the TV actually watching the V8's which are after all basically the exact same chassis and running gear just different engines and riveted on plastic body work! LOL.

[pukekoheracer]

Good long term move to 888 for SVG, and no real surprise.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2015/03/06/...eight-in-2016/

[socram]

Originally Posted by Mark Petch

Ray, you are right, thanks for reminding me.

What I am more concerned about is you, I cant believe you sat in front of the TV actually watching the V8's which are after all basically the exact same chassis and running gear just different engines and riveted on plastic body work! LOL.

Why be concerned? I record a lot, but also fast forward a lot at x 30 too! I do cheer for the Volvo (never having been in either the Ford or GM camps) and also any Kiwi drivers overseas. I may not be a huge fan of lookalike racing, but do at least take a passing interest.

[pukekoheracer]

SVG is all over the place at the moment

http://www.speedcafe.com/2015/03/10/...ctory-line-up/

[GHOGH]

Originally Posted by The Realist

Great to see Hayden Paddon's WRC car, and international sponsorship.
Down here in NZ we often underestimate how big the WRC is Globally.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2015/02/02/...ndai-revealed/

A bit about Hyundai Mobis who are paying some of Paddon's WRC bills this year,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Mobis

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by pukekoheracer

Sure have, and Two Kiwis won Le Mans in 1966, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon won in a Ford GT40, and Denny Hulme was just behind in 2nd sharing with Ken Miles.

Also Howden Ganley had a great chance to win 1972, but finished 2nd in a Matra.

That's pretty amazing to see 2 Drivers from New Zealand in the same Porsche Prototype team at Le Mans. I am guessing Earl and his Mates in the 3rd car will get a warm up race.

MITCH EVANS TO RACE AT LE MANS:

Mitch Evans will make his sportscar, FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans debut in one fell swoop this year when he competes for JOTA Sport in the British team’s two-race WEC assault.

The 20-year-old New Zealander, the protégé of ex-Formula One race winner and Porsche “factory” driver Mark Webber, contests the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (2 May) and the Le Mans 24 Hours (13-14 June).

Evans joins JOTA’s European Le Mans Series regulars Simon Dolan and Nick Yelloly in the two WEC races. Filipe Albuquerque, who competes with Dolan and Yelloly in the ELMS, is committed to Audi Sport Team Joest for the Belgian and French WEC races.

JOTA Sport achieved a praiseworthy second and then a brilliant first placing in the corresponding Spa and Le Mans races respectively last year.

Evans had his first taste of the Gibson in a test last month (24 Feb) at the Aragón circuit. Yelloly and Albuquerque were also present in Spain. Mitch, who will also contest a full season of GP2 again this year, joins former single-seater race winners Harry Tincknell, Oliver Turvey and Yelloly in switching to the sportscar category with JOTA Sport.

Meanwhile ex-F1 drivers Marc Gené, Stefan Johansson, Jan Lammers, John Neilsen, Hideki Noda and Alex Yoong have all raced for the British team. Other notable JOTA “pilots” include Chris Buncombe, Sam Hancock, Haruki Kurosawa and Lucas Luhr.

[pukekoheracer]

[QUOTE=Mark Petch;3516459]MITCH EVANS TO RACE AT LE MANS:

Mitch Evans will make his sportscar, FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans debut in one fell swoop this year when he competes for JOTA Sport in the British team’s two-race WEC assault.

The 20-year-old New Zealander, the protégé of ex-Formula One race winner and Porsche “factory” driver Mark Webber, contests the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (2 May) and the Le Mans 24 Hours (13-14 June).

That's pretty good news for Mitch, excellent career move for the longer term. That makes it 4 Kiwis racing at Le Mans this year, Hartley and Bamber in LMP1, Stanaway in Aston Martin and Mitch. Whats the chances of a Kiwi Victory, and its 20 years since McLaren won at Le Mans this year.

Not to many Kiwis (12) have raced at Le Mans over the years:
Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and Angus Hyslop in 61, Chris Amon, Howden Ganley, John Nicholson, Mike Thackwell and Rob Wilson,Andrew Bagnall, Greg Murphy,Steve Millen plus Hartley in recent years. Jim Richards didn't qualify in 81.

[MalcolmC]

Originally Posted by pukekoheracer

Not to many Kiwis (12) have raced at Le Mans over the years:
Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and Angus Hyslop in 61, Chris Amon, Howden Ganley, John Nicholson, Mike Thackwell and Rob Wilson,Andrew Bagnall, Greg Murphy,Steve Millen plus Hartley in recent years. Jim Richards didn't qualify in 81.

... and Bill Farmer in '96 with Murph?

[pukekoheracer]

Originally Posted by MalcolmC

... and Bill Farmer in '96 with Murph?

Correct, finished driving with Murphy. Better check to see if I have missed anybody else. Tony Shelley didn't practice after failing pre-race checks. Owen Evans was surposed to do the 96 race but had his accident a few weeks before.

[pukekoheracer]

If anybody is thinking of going this year its a fantastic event, was there in 87 and 89 and a Kiwi friend of mine was Chief wrench on the 95 winning McLaren.

[samzbob]

Originally Posted by pukekoheracer

If anybody is thinking of going this year its a fantastic event, was there in 87 and 89 and a Kiwi friend of mine was Chief wrench on the 95 winning McLaren.

Will be there this year, and my sources tell me most of the F1 GTR crowd that were at Goodwood the other day (16 or so F1 GTRs) will be there to help celebrate 20 years since the F1 GTR won!

Looking forward to that!