The 2025 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship is set to ignite this week with the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally. As the season opener unfolds, we’re looking at the most open title race in years, with the absence of WRC star Hayden Paddon for the second consecutive year opening the field to intense domestic competition.
The Favourite and His Challengers
Defending champion Ben Hunt, piloting his Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2, is the man to beat. Known for his speed and consistency, Hunt is the frontrunner yet again. However, this year, the competition seems more formidable than ever.
Jack Hawkeswood, fresh off a victory at last year’s Otago Rally, returns in his Hawkeswood Mining Toyota Yaris AP4, aiming to maintain his winning momentum. Meanwhile, Robbie Stokes, after showcasing significant growth and maturity last season, steps into the fray with a new factory-built Skoda Fabia Rally 2, elevating him to a serious title contender.
Emerging Talents and Local Hopes
Jack Stokes shifts gears to the Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4 this season, bringing his impressive NZRC 2WD prowess into the top-tier fray. Not to be overlooked, Dunedin’s own Emma Gilmour is poised to leverage her home turf advantage. After hitting her stride in the latter half of the 2024 season, Gilmour’s pursuit of her first national title in her Vantage New Zealand Citroen could be this year’s captivating storyline.
Josh Marston makes a comeback with his RDL Holden Barina AP4, while Kingsley Jones re-enters in the Auckland Denture Clinic Skoda Fabia R5, driven last season by his nephew Zeal Jones with notable success.
Dark Horse and Full Campaigners
Haydn Mackenzie, another competitor not to be underestimated, will undertake a full campaign in the Albany Toyota Yaris AP4, setting the stage for potential upsets throughout the championship.
Class Contenders to Watch
In the Rally Challenge 4WD class, Caleb MacDonald is back with a vengeance in his Mitsubishi EVO 6 after last year’s near-miss. He faces stiff competition from Gavin Feast, Ben Huband, and Julian Lenglet, among others, all aiming to dethrone him.
The 2WD classes also promise fierce battles, with Ian Warren and Thomas Paul leading the Rally Challenge 2WD favorites in their respective cars. Meanwhile, the NZRC 2WD class sees Bryn Jones and his Ford Fiesta Rally4 gearing up against strong contenders like Tim Mackersy and Japanese entrant Fuyuhiko Takahashi.
Historic Class Revival
The Historic 2WD class sees a resurgence with seasoned champions Paul Fraser, Deane Buist, and Mike Cameron returning, joined by a competitive lineup that includes several Ford Escorts and Pat Norris’s Toyota AE86.
As engines rev up for the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally, the stage is set not just for a race, but for a spectacular showcase of rallying talent. Keep an eye on these competitors as they battle it out on New Zealand’s challenging rally stages. The championship begins here, and it’s anybody’s game.