You don’t often see a Bathurst 1000 race played out like the 2025 edition. That spectacle was one of the most gruelling, rain-soaked, safety-car influenced race in memory.
At the heart of it, two young New Zealanders stamped their identities on the Great Race and Mount Panorama itself. Matthew Payneand Ryan Wood came of age for two quite different reasons.
Payne’s script was straight out of a genuine Hollywood blockbuster. Driving with Aussie veteran Garth Tander, the pair started from 18th on the grid and navigated the treacherous conditions with measured aggression.
Late in the race, when the field was fractured but still charging hard, Payne dived into the zone even deeper. He clipped the grass at The Chase, nearly spun then wrestled back control. Moments later, chaos between James Golding and Cooper Murray opened the door he had been waiting for and he strode through like he owned the place.
Golding beat him to the line only to receive a five-second penalty for the Murray fracas that handed Payne and Garth Tander the Peter Brock Trophy. For Payne, his maiden Bathurst. For Tander, his sixth. It felt earned, and earned the hard way.
Wood’s Bathurst story, on the other hand, deserves a darker footnote. Sharing WAU’s No 2 Ford with Jayden Ojeda, he drove a brutal and relentless last stint. Into the final 30 laps, he was in the mix, breathing down the necks of those in front.
The car, however, had other plans. An electrical or engine gremlin struck just before a late restart that saw Wood roll to a stop towards the end of Conrod Straight. All in all, it was a bad race for WAU as earlier, Wood’s sister car of Chaz Mostert and another Kiwi, Fabian Coulthard, had also expired.
But don’t discount what Wood accomplished; scintillating pace, leadership, discipline in the wet and excellent racecraft. Had the car held, the headlines could well have been reversed.
Garth Tander (left) and Matthew Payne celebrate their victory on Sunday. Photo / Photosport
Bathurst is a crucible; it reveals more than speed. For Payne, it confirms he’s more than a rising star – he’s now a closer. His trajectory through 2025 has been steep. Multiple wins, consistent qualifying and now a win at the Mountain.
With Grove Racing continuing to improve and Tander’s mentorship steadying and guiding the ship, Payne is in prime position to push year-after-year at the front. He may not win a title next season, but he’ll definitely be a contender.
Wood’s future is equally compelling, albeit tempered by the risk that endurance woes expose. But take a step back; he’s only just emerged from being a rookie and has his first race win. His pace, his composure in chaos, his ability to lead the field – those are traits you can’t teach.
Ryan Wood could have a big future in motorsport. Photo / Photosport
WAU’s machinery is strong in the enduros. Clean up a few qualifying kinks, lock down reliability and he won’t just challenge for wins, he’ll more than occasionally snatch them. In a two- to three-year window, he’ll be hitting podiums regularly – and likely to be challenging for a championship title.
Payne grabbed his opportunity at Bathurst and got the silverware. He earned the moment. Wood built a foundation of pace, courage, race control and, save for one cruel mechanical betrayal, would have been pushing Payne for the win. Either way, Kiwi motorsport will be richer for having both in the hunt.
