Hill switches to circuit racing and aims to win in GR86

Still a student at the Kristin School in Albany, 17-year-old Cameron Hill will make the step into circuit racing with the Bridgestone GR86 Championship next season.

It’s a significant step up for the kart racer but he’s had plenty of support to ensure he will be ready.

“I’ve had an intense two years in karting and was lucky enough to be coached by Josh Bethune who has taught me so much,” he explained. “Through Josh I meet William Exton who also coached me for the NZ Karting Nationals and Nationals Schools, both held near Willie’s home town of Blenheim.

“He told me how good the Toyota TR86 Series was and when I saw the car and all his trophies, I thought ‘I want to do that’”.

Cameron started racing in karts when he was just six years old but after only six months, family business commitments didn’t allow him the time to continue. He got his racing fix on motorcross bikes until he was 15, when he was able to switch back to karts.

Success came quickly in the Senior Rotax Light class as part of the Right Karts team and by the end of 2023 he had won the overall Auckland Club Championship title and travelled to America to compete in the US Rotax Trophy finals.

He started 2024 in the Rotax DD2 class as well as Rotax Lights, winning his first national title in Rotax Lights at the Kartsport National Schools held in Nelson in July.

He has also been selected to represent New Zealand at the Rotax Max Championship World Finals, being held in Sarno Italy, next week. When he returns his full attention will be on learning the new car and circuits as quickly as possible and to be at the sharp end of the field from the first round next month when he debuts the Right Karts Academy by M2 Competition-run GR86.

“I’m aiming to win and I think you have to,” he said. “You have to set your sights at the top, right? I want to continue to improve my race craft and drive to the best of my ability, good, clean, fast racing.

“The cleanest, smoothest and smartest driver will win. I will take my learnings from the Rotax Light class, where you can have thirty or more eager drivers in a very controlled class, with super close racing.

“I think karting has taught me a lot about race craft, and how to be fast, smooth and carry good corner speed, something you have to do when you only have 30HP propelling you. The Bridgestone GR86 Championship will be similar, but with a lot more power from the new engine!

“The challenge will be having the right set up for the track, putting in a good qualifying lap to get up the front.”