NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Motorsport: Five Kiwis on the pace at world events

Eric Thompson
By Eric Thompson
NZ Herald·
28 Jun, 2013 05:30 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Matt Halliday will contest round three of the Blancpain Endurance series at Paul Ricard in France in his Audi R8.

Matt Halliday will contest round three of the Blancpain Endurance series at Paul Ricard in France in his Audi R8.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
This weekend a handful of New Zealand drivers will be competing at an elite level

It's either feast or famine when it comes to New Zealand racecar drivers competing abroad. This weekend there are five, yes folks, five young flying Kiwis living the dream and plying their trade internationally at the elite level of motorsport.

We have Mitch Evans (see Driven for a fuller interview), Brendon Hartley, Matt Halliday, Richie Stanaway and Hayden Paddon all buckling up to take on the best in their respective categories.

On a domestic note, drivers line up for round three of the New Zealand Rally Championships on the gravel roads of the Manawatu for the one-day Daybreaker Rally. Second in the series, Richard Mason and co-driver Sara Mason will be keen to make up ground on championship leader Paddon who's racing overseas this weekend.

Hayden PaddonThe former production World Rally Champion and co-driver John Kennard are making their European World Rally Championship debut this weekend in the all-tarmac Ypres Rally in Belgium.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Paddon is with a team he knows well having won his world title with Symtech Racing in 2011. He and Kennard will be behind the wheel of a Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta S2000. Testing and qualifying has gone rather well, with Paddon setting the third-fastest time and knows there's more to come yet.

"The last two days of recce have gone well and we have made a good set of pace notes," said Paddon.

"We were third-quickest in qualifying so therefore will get the third pick after local Freddy Loix and Craig Breen. We're happy however, as [we are in] the first non-factory car, while still building confidence and getting more seat time."

Mitch EvansThe young Kiwi has just turned 19 and is champing at the bit to give himself the best birthday present so far in his racing career. After two dismal rounds in his GP2 campaign earlier in the year, Evans found his mojo again on the streets of Monaco and picked up a brace of third places to get himself back up the points table and now sits in seventh just 22 points off third place.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Tyres again will be a mitigating factor, especially as Pirelli have chosen a combination of hard and medium tyres, a pairing not used so far this season.

"Obviously a win at the British Grand Prix would be a very good present," said Evans. "It was my Mum's birthday on Friday as well. It would be a nice present for both of us. That would be the ultimate for me."

The GP2 races at Silverstone are live on Sky - race one Sunday, June 30: 1.35am on SKY Sport 2 and race 2 Sunday, June 30: 8.30pm on SKY Sport 3.Richie Stanaway

The rookie Porsche Supercup driver gets another chance to impress those in the know when he lines up at Silverstone for round three of his championship as a support class for the Formula One British Grand Prix.

Discover more

Motorsport

Kiwi driver soars at Le Mans

25 Jun 05:30 PM
Motorsport

Motorsport: Volvo joins V8 Supercars

25 Jun 05:30 PM
Motorsport

Motorsport: Tough at the top

28 Jun 05:30 PM
Motorsport

Motorsport: Silverstone Challenge

29 Jun 12:30 AM

Stanaway has put the cat among some very fancied pigeons in this hotly contested category. Not only does he lead the rookie standings by some considerable margin, he's fifth overall in the standings.

"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the car now that I've had some testing," said Stanaway. I'm looking forward to seeing what sort of result we can obtain this weekend.

"After finishing ninth my first race and seventh in the second I would like to keep the progression going and get inside the top five or even a podium."

That might be a bit of a big ask as Stanaway has never raced at Silverstone before, but he has proved to be a fast learner in the past.

Matt HallidayThe US-based Kiwi has flown across the Atlantic to slip into his Audi R8 to contest round three of the Blancpain Endurance series at Paul Ricard, France. Halliday has found his feet in endurance racing and loves the fact he's with a factory-backed team.

Halliday is in the third car in the team and as such his co-drivers, while extremely competent, are not quite up to his speed. Halliday himself isn't too perturbed about that and is concentrating on measuring his times against the number one car.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I'm compared against all the other Audi cars and drivers and on paper the results don't seem that good," said Halliday.

"Motor racing is a complicated thing and not always what it seems ... It doesn't matter where the cars qualify, as long as you're as quick, or quicker, than the factory guys."

Brendon HartleyWith very little time to savour his great seventh place finish in the Le Mans 24 Hour race last weekend, Hartley had to pack his bags and head across the Atlantic to get ready for round eight of the North American Rolex Grand Am Endurance series.

Hartley has been flying back and forward for five weeks and has taken to sports car racing like a bear to honey. He's already been on the podium, set the fastest qualifying and race lap times and led a race or two before mechanical dramas set in.

"It's certainly been a busy few weeks but I'm just happy to be doing what I'm doing," said Hartley.

"The results are starting to come and I'll admit I've made the odd mistake, but the team can see that we are often the fastest car on track and have always been in a position to at least podium if not win."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

All Blacks

Springboks No 8 to miss Eden Park test after head-butt ban

Golf

17 million to one: Auckland father and son ace golf hole in consecutive shots

Sport

Herald NOW: Daily Sport Update: July 16 2025

Watch

Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Springboks No 8 to miss Eden Park test after head-butt ban
All Blacks

Springboks No 8 to miss Eden Park test after head-butt ban

Jasper Wiese banned for four matches for head-butting Italy's Danilo Fischetti.

15 Jul 07:07 PM
17 million to one: Auckland father and son ace golf hole in consecutive shots
Golf

17 million to one: Auckland father and son ace golf hole in consecutive shots

15 Jul 07:00 PM
Herald NOW: Daily Sport Update: July 16 2025
Sport

Herald NOW: Daily Sport Update: July 16 2025

Watch
15 Jul 07:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP