Giddy, McGill and Nasr star on day one

The opening shots were fired in the 2026-20237 Bridgestone GR86 Championship today with three practice sessions ahead of the first round at the Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend.

Lucas McGill, who spent last season very much on a steep learning curve, was perhaps the stand-out performer during the day, finishing the first session second behind Ajay Giddy, topping the second session and then ending the day with fifth in the third and final session.

Australian GR Cup race winner Romeo Nasr (pictured above) settled in nicely too, progressing throughout the day and ending up with the fastest time in the final session as he got into the groove in New Zealand after an impressive season in Australia’s version of the championship, the GR Cup.

Feilding’s Justin Allen was another who looks to be in front running form as he embarks on what he says will be his last season in the championship.  

Another experienced runner, Cameron Hill, looked fast and sharp in his new team Mackenzie Motorsport as he gets stuck into a crucial third season for him in the championship.

Quick in the final session was another series veteran Harry Townshend. The consistent runners near the front, however, were Giddy, Hill, McGill and Allen and it could well be those who set the pace when the first qualifying session of the season gets underway on Saturday morning.

The winter runners from the Toyota 86 Trophy Series also faired quite well on their first day of the season – which for several is their first experience of the ‘main game’.  All those will compete this season for rookie honours, and it could well be as closely fought as the main championship.

Marcel Bartley, Miles Baker, Nathan Grammer, Riley Boswell, Nieko Scoles and Tayler Mitchell all look close to the pace. A battle royal between them looks odds on.

With drivers opting to run older and new tyres at different points of the day, there remains no clear-cut form guide, however.

We'll know a lot more about how the early part of the season will look after Saturday’s action. Qualifying is in the morning and the first race of the season in the afternoon.