McGill playing catch-up but hunting Rookie title success

Lucas McGill hadn’t done much time at all in a Toyota GR86 racing car before winning the Tony Quinn Scholarship and securing a season in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, but he’s been hard at work making up for lost time.

The 17 year old Aucklander is determined to ensure that he’ll be ready to give his best when the championship begins at Hampton Downs next weekend. And he’s aiming to be competitive in what is traditionally a hard-fought Rookie class.

“For the GR86 series this year I had very little notice, only finding out I would be racing in the series a month or so prior to this first round,” he explained.

“That made getting prepared a major challenge. It ultimately meant I didn’t have much time to prepare in terms of driving, so most of my preparation has been off-track.

“I did a couple of GT members days at Hampton Downs in the GR86, where I practiced qualifying simulations, race starts, and overall driving. My off-track preparation has been extensive though and I have stayed on top of my fitness, spent many hours on the simulator, and read over rules and procedures.

“My hopes are to learn and develop as much as possible. The goal for the season would be to win Rookie of the year, however being my first ever season racing in cars, I am aiming to learn, gain experience and strive to set myself up for a career in motorsports.

“I am hugely grateful to the Tony Quinn Foundation and the Wolfbrook Motorsport Foundation for giving me this incredible opportunity.”

McGill has four years of karting experience – not as much as many of his rivals – but he has proven speed having won the 2025 NZ National Karting Championship in Rotax Max Lights as well as the TQF GR86 shootout of course. He also succeeded in securing a GR86 car for the season courtesy of the Wolfbrook Scholarship.

All the pieces are in place for a solid first season with James Marshall Motorsport and Lucas says the Bridgestone GR86 Championship is definitely where he wants to be at this early stage of his career. His focus will be learning and developing as much as he can as a driver.

“The GR86 series is one of the best series for young drivers in NZ, not only for the close racing and high talent pool, but also for the media coverage and opportunities,” he added.

“So it was the championship we wanted to be in. It is a great place for drivers to develop, show their talent, and success in the series can open various opportunities into future careers in motorsports.

“This will be my debut season in car racing, and I’m looking forward to the change and a new experience, especially considering how enjoyable karting has been. With no car racing experience, the season will not be easy, but I am really looking forward to this challenge and that gives me motivation for the season.”