Chris White Crowned Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ GR86 Champion
We are incredibly proud to celebrate a huge milestone for our sponsored driver, Chris White, who has been crowned the 2025-26 Bridgestone Toyota GR86 Championship winner after a dramatic and weather affected final round at Taupō International Motorsport Park.
Chris White, 2025-26 Toyota GR86 Champion - 📸 Toyota GAZOO Racing New Zealand
Chris secured the championship following a shortened weekend, with the final Sunday race cancelled due to an incoming weather event. This decision meant the Saturday races would decide the title, and Chris delivered when it mattered most, finishing second in the final race to seal the championship outright.
Driving for Neale Motorsport, Chris was the standout performer across the six-round championship, consistently extracting the maximum from the GR86 package while maintaining calm and controlled race craft under constant pressure from a highly competitive field.
Chris finishing the second and final race of the weekend in Second place - 📸 Toyota GAZOO Racing New Zealand
A Championship Built on Consistency and Composure
The Taupō finale summed up Chris’ 2025-26 campaign perfectly. After starting the decisive race on the front row, Chris defended relentlessly against repeated attacks from Cooper Barnes, ultimately holding second place behind Cameron Hill. That result was enough to confirm him as champion ahead of Zach Blincoe in second and Hugo Allan in third overall.
Speaking after securing the title, Chris acknowledged the collective effort behind the success, highlighting the importance of team preparation, adaptability, and extracting performance even when conditions didn’t fall perfectly his way.
Proudly Supported by Our Partners
Behind every successful driver is a network of supporters who make the journey possible, and this championship win was no exception.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Hamilton Windscreens and NOVUS Invercargill for their outstanding support in this season by replacing windscreens for Chris for Round 1 at Hampton Downs and Round 3 at Teretonga.
This support was essential to Chris’ season to allow him to race at those rounds to continue to battle for the championship.
A Moment to Celebrate
Chris’ New Zealand GR86 Championship Title is not just the result of one weekend or one race, but the culmination of months of hard work, commitment, and consistency across New Zealand’s premier circuits. To see that effort rewarded with a national championship is something we are immensely proud of.
Once again, Well done on the spectacular season Chris! You showed immense maturity to win your first GR86 Title in a tough last race and we cannot wait to see what comes next in your motorsport journey.
