Bakkerus back for shot at GR86 title

Nineteen-year-old Auckland driver Hayden Bakkerus will start the inaugural Bridgestone GR86 Championship as one of the favourites after a solid first season in the country’s top one make one model motorsport category.

A strong debut season in the Toyota 86 Championship saw Bakkerus finish the season with two podium finishes to his credit and sixth place overall in the championship points. Now he’s hungry for more good results and a winning run in the first championship with the new GR86 car.

“Realistically I’d like to be competitive everywhere and I know how important consistent points scoring is in this championship,” said the Wai o Taki Bay driver. “I want to fight for top three positions everywhere and be in the hunt for the championship. That’s the goal.”

Bakkerus, currently training as an electrical apprentice will run with Mackenzie Motorsport, a team he knows well. And whilst there is plenty for him to learn about the new car and Bridgestone tyres, he’s confident there is much he can carry over from last season’s campaign.

“There’s not too many differences with the new generation car overall so I am still feeling pretty confident. There’s plenty to work on and improve on my side of things and as per last season I’ll be focussing on that too.

“I also have a great team around me at Mackenzie Motorsport and my team mates are definitely going to keep me honest. The new car is an improvement, but everything takes a bit of getting used to and we’re all at the same stage with the new car. For me though it was very enjoyable to drive, and was particularly good in the wet when we tested at Hampton Downs recently.”

Bakkerus has been staying sharp with impressive performances in another Toyota – one of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s single seater FT-50 cars – winning four races in the 2024 GVI Formula Open series.

His new GR86 will run in an orange and white livery sporting the colours of Endless Metals, AK Electrical and Mi iT when the first round of the 2024-2025 championship gets underway at the end of this month. He then has a summer break before the championship resumes at Hampton Downs mid-January.

More than 20 of the country’s best drivers will take part in the six round championship, which also finishes at Taupo in April as one of the major support categories for the second visit to the track by the Australian Supercars Championship. Hayden will also be on the grid when the championship supports the 69th New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands Motorsport Park in February.