The Kiwi Driver Fund – a pivotal supporter in the career of Formula One driver Liam Lawson and many other rising New Zealand circuit racing stars – is set to end, but has one more driver to support.

Rising rally star Zeal Jones will be the beneficiary of KDF’s final round of funding, and will take part in Morizo Challenge Cup - a GR Yaris spec series championship that runs in conjunction with the Japan Rally Championship and is organised by Toyota Gazoo Racing.

It is composed of six tarmac and two gravel rounds, totalling 8 rounds across Japan. The first round gets underway this weekend - 28th February till the 2nd of March.  

Jones attracted support from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand late last year in his efforts to secure a seat as a junior in Toyota’s world rallying programme. He got incredibly close, making the final six from an initial entry of 100 drivers.  

Jones aims to win the championship this year, giving him the best chance at securing a spot in what he narrowly missed in December. If successful, he will be given a paid-for program to live in Finland and develop through the programme to reach the WRC.  

Support for the young rally driver is the perfect final act for KDF.  Bob McMurray, a Trustee since the Fund was first established ten years ago, says the time is now right to move aside for other players in the space.  

“We are very proud of everything that has been achieved by KDF and its drivers over the last ten years,” he explained.

“It’s been a remarkable programme that has helped support drivers in their quest to compete at the highest levels.  

“Many of them have achieved that aim and proved the original concept of the trust was valid.”  

The funding landscape has changed in recent years in regard to supporting New Zealand’s rising circuit racing stars. The Tony Quinn Foundation is a key supporter as is the Giltrap Group with both its Porsche Scholarship and Junior Scholarship programmes.  Rodin Cars has its Formula Ford to Formula 1 pathway and there are numerous other companies running scholarship schemes..  

“The final KDF support will take us in another direction as we look at New Zealand rallying talent and sign-off with support to help one of our young stars in that arena – Zeal Jones – make the next step forward in his career,” added McMurray.  

“He is an outstanding prospect and is a fine candidate for funding in every respect, a great ambassador for his sport and an amazing talent.”  

“The funds will be spread across a range of costs. However, direct racing costs, ie entry fees, insurances, fuel, and tyres, will make up most of the expenditure. But also travel costs as competing in Japan can come at a price” Jones said.  

The list of drivers who have benefitted from significant KDF funding is a significant one, and back in 2020 Lawson summed up just how important the support had been in his career progression, when he said.   “Without the Kiwi Driver Fund I would not have been racing this year or last year. It's a massive part of what helped me get onto the Toyota Racing Series grid.”

Hayden Paddon will tick a bucket list item and give rally fans an incredible show during the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally this April.

After finishing the event in the Classic section, he will return to the start of the final stage, the famous Kuri Bush, to complete a second run in his famous Hyundai i20 World Rally Car – the car in which Paddon outdrove Sebastien Ogier on the final stage to win the 2016 Rally of Argentina.

It will be the first time a World Rally Car will run down the famous 15-kilometres, and it’s sure to be a huge delight for spectators lining the stage.

“Firstly, a big thank you to the Otago Rally organisers for allowing this opportunity,” Paddon said.

“It’s always been a bucket list thing for me to drive a WRC car on Kuri Bush, one of New Zealand’s most famous and hair raising stages.

“We hope to put on a good show for the spectators and see what sort of time the car can do, but at the same time, we’ll drive with a degree of caution to not take risks and look after this unique and special car.”

Paddon imported his WRC-winning Hyundai to New Zealand in 2024 and plans to use it sparingly at events in the future, with the famous Kuri Bush stage being just the second of such instances.

Whether the car overhauls his existing stage record of 7m12.8s, set in 2023 (Hyundai i20 N Rally2), remains to be seen, however, he’s wary of keeping the car neat and tidy, given its historical significance and value.

“We hope to put on a good show for the spectators and see what sort of time the car can do, however, at the same time driving with a degree of caution to not take risks and look after the car.”

The itinerary for this much-anticipated run will be communicated prior to the event to ensure fans don’t miss out on their chance to witness history.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding.    

New Zealand’s most successful rally driver, Hayden Paddon, will light up the 2025 Central Machine Hire Otago Rally aboard a special rally car.

Ten years on from his record breaking outright win in an Escort BDA, Paddon will again drive the famed model when the rally runs from April 4-6.

Steering the eye-catching blue BDA owned by Tim McIver, Paddon will take the fight to international star, Kris Meeke, in a bid to wrestle the International Classic Rally crown back to New Zealand.

Recently announced to complete a full program in the Australian Rally Championship, Paddon will begin his New Zealand program with the Dunedin event, just two weeks after the Canberra opener across the Tasman Sea.

Having won the Otago Rally on 10 occasions, more recently in Hyundais, he has also competed in the Classic Rally on three occasions, with mixed results.

First competing in the class in 2012, Paddon finished fourth after a puncture, and a return two years later ended in retirement. 

It was 2015, though, where he delivered a stunning outright win to trump not only those in the Classic Rally, but also every New Zealand Rally Championship competitor.

Competition for the Classic win won’t be easy, especially with Kris Meeke travelling south to drive the Rossendale Wines BDA for the second year running.        

“I’m looking forward to tackling the Otago Classic again, 10 years after our win there last time” Paddon said. 

“Firstly, a big thank you to Hyundai NZ for allowing us to take up this opportunity, and Tim McIver for the use of his car.

“I have some very good memories from 10 years ago, and with Kris also being present this year, I think it will be a mega battle that will only amplify the experience. 

“First and foremost it’s about fun for us all, but the competitive side will for sure come out in the stages, and I think we will be egging each other on.”

The Paddon-Meeke battle is not the first between former World Rally Championship round winners to occur in classic cars at Otago. Bjorn Waldegard and Hannu Mikkola both contested the rally, seeded cars one and two, in 2003, while Didier Auriol would also go up against future WRC rally winner, Paddon, in 2014.

Intentions to enter the Otago Rally, regardless of class, have exceeded 130, with a great number coming from overseas. More than a dozen Australians are planning to make the trip, while other teams are hoping to come from the United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Japan, Ireland, and many others.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding.

An influx of quality applications has seen the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally award scholarships go to two up-and-coming young rally drivers.

Choosing a single winner from the 15 applications wasn’t an easy task, and eventually, Cromwell’s Terri Taylor and North Canterbury’s Harri Silcock were chosen as winners.

Twenty-five-year-old Terri Taylor was brought up on the clay of the Cromwell Speedway and first competed when she was 13.

She has progressed through the motorsport ranks and currently drives a Subaru Impreza WRX, making her debut in the car at last year’s Southern Lights Rally.

A mechanical problem saw her retire from second place in the 4WD Classic section, but the die was cast.

“It’s safe to say that I am hooked, and now I really want to compete for the first time in the world-famous Otago Rally,” she said. “It will be a real bucket list achievement for me.”

Harri Silcock started driving grass karts at the age of 12, and with his father, John, a long-time New Zealand rally competitor, the sport was in his genes.

He contested the Mainland Rally Championship in 2024 in a 1600cc Toyota Starlet, finishing second in his class, and also completed one day of the Otago Rally.

“I really enjoyed my first rally outside Christchurch last year,” he said of his Otago Rally entry. “The ceremonial start, the atmosphere, the overseas competitors: it was a real step up from what I am used to.

“To win the scholarship this year and have the chance to contest the whole two-day rally means the world to me.”

Both scholarships winners receive free entry to the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally, including a set of stage notes, and $500 in cash. They will also be offered the use of a workshop throughout the rally.

“We were delighted with the response, with a record 15 applications. All were of very high calibre and it was very difficult to decide on the final recipients,” scholarship convenor, Tony Johnston, said.

“Any of them would be worthy and the applications showed that there is a great new generation of talent coming through.”

The scholarship program is also something that is very dear to the heart of event sponsor, Allan Dippie.

“One of most enjoyable things about supporting the Otago Rally is being able to help the next generation. All the scholarship applicants impressed me with their motivation and passion for the sport,” Central Machine Hire owner, Dippie, said.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding.

For more information on the Otago Rally, visit www.otagorally.com    

The New Year brings a new challenge for Kiwi rally star Hayden Paddon and the Paddon Racing Group (PRG) as they take their Hyundai i20N Rally2 car across the Tasman for an all-out tilt at winning the 2025 Australian Rally Championship (ARC).  

Paddon has committed to contesting all six rounds of the highly-competitive Australian championship which starts in Canberra in March, and continues in Western Australia in May, Queensland in July, Victoria in August, South Australia in October and Tasmania in November. PRG personnel will join Paddon at each round.  

Paddon is looking forward to the challenges of contesting more Australian rallies after the last two successful years in Europe with back-to-back FIA European Rally Championship titles to his credit. And while it’s a few years since he’s rallied in Australia, he’ll be drawing on earlier successes such as winning the 2022 Asia Pacific Rally Championship event in Coffs Harbour, finishing second overall in the 2018 Australian World Rally Championship event, and third overall at WRC Rally Australia in 2017.  

“I’m really excited to finally put together a campaign for the Australian Rally Championship, something we have been trying to make happen for a couple of years. It’s a championship that we have not yet tried our hand at, and I’ve been following closely the level of competition and calibre of the events, watching from the other side of the Tasman.  

“We are under no illusion that it will be a tough challenge, going up against some very fast competition on unfamiliar events and terrain, but we will treat it like any other rally or championship that we compete in, and know we have the best team with PRG and a strong package with the Hyundai i20N Rally2 to give it our best shot.”  

As a longtime fan of Possum Bourne who won the Australian championship seven times from 1996 to 2002, Paddon remembers the intense competition between Bourne and four-time ARC title winner Neal Bates through this period.

Now, Neal Bates’ sons Harry and Lewis are stars of the ARC with Harry having won the title, which earns the champion the Possum Bourne Memorial Trophy, three times (2019, 2023 and 2024). Lewis also won the ARC title in 2022.  

“It will be special to compete in Australia this year, especially after the many years of success that Possum Bourne had there and watching that as a kid. To now take our own Kiwi team across the ditch and rejuvenate that trans-Tasman rivalry is going to be an exciting and fun challenge. We know from previous times we have competed in Australia that everyone is very welcoming which adds to the experience.”  

Kiwi fans will be able to follow Paddon in action during the six ARC events as championship organisers deliver a mix of on-stage action, interviews and analysis via live streams broadcast on the ARC’s Facebook and YouTube channels.  

PRG appreciates the support of their partners including Hyundai New Zealand, Caltex Havoline Oil, Mitre 10 Trade, Winmax Brake Pads, Bar’s Bugs, EROAD, Ben Nevis Station, Wipertech, Design Windows, MITO, Repco, Machinery House, King Gee, KiwiFibre and Trial Lite.

New Zealand Junior Rally Champion, Zeal Jones, will embark on an eight-event rally program in Japan in 2025.

As a finalist in last year’s Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT's successful junior driver program, twenty year old Jones got the taste for their professional rallying program and has now accepted an offer to drive for CUSCO in this year’s Japanese Rally Championship.

Driving a GR Yaris, he’ll contest all rounds of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Morizo Rally Challenge Cup – six events on tarmac and two on gravel.

The car that Jones will drive is similar to a Group N, standard production car with a standard engine and gearbox. It will have modified brakes and suspension, and will run on a control Dunlop tyre that the series is using.

The Morizo Rally Challenge Cup is for drivers under 28 years of age, both male and female, and Jones is likely to be the only driver residing outside Japan.

There are 16 competitors registered for the series in 2025, the second year that the Morizo Rally Challenge Cup has been conducted.

Should he win the series, he’ll automatically qualify for the final that will decide the next generation of Toyota young drivers that will be held in Finland later this year.

That eventuality would be his second such trip to Finland after missing out on the two coveted spots at the last phase of selection late last year.

Rather than having to qualify for the final through the selection process in Japan as he did in 2024, victory in the Morizo Rally Challenge Cup would mean a direct ticket to the final in Finland.

The young Kiwi is also using the experience in Japan to develop as a driver.

“I have no expectations going into the season as I’ve never done a tarmac rally before,” Jones told RallySport Magazine.

“A lot of the drivers I’ll be competing against have grown up on tarmac rallies, so no doubt there will be some quick drivers.”

Jones will have fellow Kiwi Bayden Thomson in the car beside him calling the pace notes. Thomson is the undefeated three-time New Zealand 2WD Champion in a Ford Fiesta Rally4, having won the last three series since joining his cousin, Dylan, in 2022.

Jones impressed in last year’s New Zealand Rally Championship, driving a Skoda Fabia R5 in all rounds of the series.

He finished a brilliant third outright in September’s Daybreaker Rally.

However, his eight-event program in Japan means that he’ll only do selected events in the NZRC this year, budget dependent.

Jones has had to finance the majority of the Japanese program himself, albeit it with a lot of help from CUSCO – a team that fellow New Zealander, Mike Young, has been a regular driver for.

The Japanese Rally Championship begins with Rally Mikawa Bay in late February, before events in April, May, June, July, September and October.

Kiwi rally star Zeal Jones says he took some valuable lessons from his experience in the final shootout for the 2024 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge in Finland.

Zeal fought his way through two rounds of gruelling testing in Japan to make the final stages of the competition but just fell short of winning one of the top two spots and a place as a Generation 4 driver in the official TOYOTA GAZOO World Rally programme.

“Ultimately, I lacked the consistency of the two drivers that were chosen – Kanta Yanaguida and Rio Ogata,” he said.

“There are so many different areas you’re tested on as a driver, an amount that you can’t prepare for everything. So it's hard to pinpoint any specific but consistency is a key in this competition.”

Despite the disappointment, Jones was happy with his performance, particularly given his young age and his unfamiliarity with the Japanese conditions.

“I was pleased with my overall performance. In our downtime, I was thinking, what else could I have done with my level of experience on the snow, with the cars, and in that environment?

“I couldn’t have done anything more. So, I was pleased I left it all out on the table to display my skill. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough this time, but still, being one of the youngest in the selection, I know there will be more opportunities to come.”

“I said to Both Mikko and Jouni the biggest thing I learned was patience. Coming from a Rally2 background in 2024, the cars I drove in Finland were slower, so I had to adjust my aggression to more standard cars with the reduced level of grip and power as well as other significant differences.

“So, I think looking back now to my 2024 NZRC campaign, I can see where I went wrong and could easily make time up, so that’s a huge learning from the competition.”

“It was a tease in a way to see what else was out there in this world of rallying. It opened a new perspective on how to attack things personally in many different aspects, physically, mentally and more. In the mix, it also shows what great qualities New Zealand has rallying but also what we could work on.”

As for the future, Jones says he is still very much at the planning stage, but for now is looking forward to a well-earned break.

“It’s difficult to say right now. With Plan A out of the mix, Plan B always floated around your mind in case of this scenario. There are a few things on the table that we are evaluating to make the right next step in preparation for some new big goals in the future. So we’ll push hard to make the best outcome, but before that, a small break after these big few weeks.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol says Jones has a bright future ahead, which TGRNZ wants to be part of.

“We are proud of Zeal’s achievement in being able to go up to the final stages of just six drivers from an initial 100. That is extremely impressive regardless of anything else.

“Zeal demonstrated what we have seen in him here in New Zealand and despite not being one of the two drivers selected, he does have a great future and we are working together to see how we could support him in his future endeavours.

“With Finding New Zealand’s Next World Champion programs we have developed here in NZ we see talent and nurture it in the Toyota 86 Trophy, the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, with the GR Supra GT4 EVO/EVO2 programme and of course the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship. Despite not being directly involved in Rally on NZ scene, we are proud to support the next rally talent as well and we believe Zeal is that driver.”

Organisers of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship are proud to announce the 2025 calendar that includes the return of two events to the championship for the first time post-pandemic.  

The season will, as has become traditional, kick off with the two-day Otago Rally on April 4-6, based in Dunedin.

The action will then resume at the South Canterbury Rally on May 10, based in Timaru, before a return to the Canterbury Rally in Christchurch on June 1.  

Following a mid-season break, teams will move to the North Island with another returning event, Rally Coromandel, to be held on August 23 from the seaside town of Whitianga.

The series then moves to the Tauranga-based Rally Bay of Plenty on October 11, before the second two-day round of the season, International Rally of Whangarei, to round out the season on November 7-9.  

“It’s really exciting to be able to release the calendar as we work into the 2025 season,” said NZRC Championship co-ordinator Blair Bartels.  

“To be able to welcome a couple of exciting events in Canterbury Rally and Rally Coromandel back onto the calendar alongside fantastic events like Otago Rally, South Canterbury Rally, Rally Bay of Plenty and the International Rally of Whangarei is very pleasing.  

“Book ending the championship with a pair of two-day events amongst four one-day events keeps things exciting right to the final round, while splitting the events into South and North Island with a mid-season break was very well received amongst the teams this season and offers numerous benefits.  

“Of course, we’re blessed to have so many rallies of a high calibre in this country and while keeping to a six-round calendar, unfortunately they can’t all fit in. On that note, we’d like to thank the organisers of the Daybreaker Rally and Southern Lights Rally for their efforts across the last two seasons, particularly stepping up at short notice to pull together the Daybreaker Rally in 2023.”  

“We’re pleased to see another New Zealand Rally Championship set for 2025,” said MotorSport New Zealand president Deborah Day.  

“New Zealand is lucky to have the best rallying roads in the world, and with Rally Canterbury and Rally Coromandel returning to the championship calendar we get to see more of those roads contested at our highest level.”    

Championship articles are in their final stages of preparation and will be released in due course.     

2025 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship Calendar:

Rd 1: Otago Rally Friday April 4- Sunday April 6

Rd 2: South Canterbury Rally Saturday May 10

Rd 3: Canterbury Rally Sunday June 1

Rd 4: Rally Coromandel  Saturday August 23

Rd 5: Rally Bay of Plenty Saturday October 11

Rd 6: International Rally of Whangarei Friday November 7- Sunday November 9

New Zealand's Central Machine Hire Otago Rally will again be a part of the World Series of TER when it runs again in early April 2025. A series aimed at iconic events in iconic locations, the TER Series is an evolution of the European Series.

This will be the second time that the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally has been included as a round.

For the Otago Rally in particular, the TER series provides global TV coverage focussing not only on the competition, but on the region's tourism, landscape and, of course, the stunning rally roads that Dunedin and its surrounds offer.

"We are delighted to be part of the TER Series again. This is a fantastic opportunity to promote Dunedin, New Zealand and NZ rallying to the world," event promotions manager, Roger Oakley, said.

"We very much enjoyed working with the TER team in 2023, and love their enthusiasm to promote the sport."

Each event in the TER Series will receive significant television coverage in the form of a 25-minute highlights package, which is to be beamed around the world with specific broadcast arrangements in virtually every country. 

A European-based TV crew will be in Dunedin for the event and will showcase all the region has to offer.

"The Otago Rally has an international reputation, it is based in our city and travels around all our surrounding landscapes.

"Being part of the TER Series gives a perfect platform to promote our City and lifestyle to the world as well as providing a great event for our locals to attend and be part of," Dunedin City Destination Manager, Sian Sutton, said.

TER organisers are also thrilled that the series will again visit New Zealand's South Island.

"We are excited to see the TER series return to Otago and New Zealand," TER series organiser, Luca Grilli, said.

"Rallying is very strong in New Zealand, they have amazing roads and scenery. It is unlike other places in the world, a great destination for the sport and the tourist."

The 2025 Central Machine Hire Otago Rally will begin with the popular ceremonial start in Dunedin's Octagon on Friday, April 4, before the rally action itself takes place on the following two days over 15 stages and 280 competitive kilometres.

Competitors can signal their intention to complete by going to https://otagorally.com/competitors/intention-to-enter/

The rally is grateful for the support of Dunedin City Council Premier Event funding.   

The 2025 Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is already proving popular, with over 65 intentions to enter received so far. There have already been nine received from Australia, and seven from other countries including the UK and Japan.

Rally organisers are expecting to have a full field of over 100 entries for the April 5 and 6 event, with the rally’s “star driver” yet to be announced.

Welsh driver, Meirion Evans, has already confirmed his entry, as has Japan’s Fuyuhiko Takahasi in the Pacific Cup section of the rally.

Australians to show early interest include Richie Dalton in a Ford Escort RS1800, and Darryn Snooks in a Datsun Stanza.

Next’s year’s Central Machine Hire Otago Rally route is just about finalised and will offer competitors 280 kilometres over 15 special stages, finishing with the famed Kuri Bush stage.

The intention to enter is non-binding, so competitors are encouraged to get their name on the list at: https://otagorally.com/competitors/intention-to-enter/

Supplementary Regulations will be available soon for what promises to again be a bumper edition of the event.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding.