Defending champion Ben Hunt has once again showcased his dominance in the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship with a spectacular victory at the Otago Rally. The weekend was charged with intense rivalries and spectacular driving as Hunt navigated his Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2 to the top of the podium, making an assertive start to the 2025 season.
The rally commenced with a ceremonial start in the Octagon, setting the stage for two days of relentless competition. From the outset, Hunt was aware that defending his title would not be straightforward, facing stiff competition from a field teeming with talent, including the likes of Robbie Stokes in a similarly equipped Skoda and Jack Hawkeswood in the formidable Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris.
The first day of racing saw Hunt push his performance, ending with a slender 10.5-second lead over Robbie Stokes and his brother Jack Stokes, who made an impressive debut in the Open 4WD category with the Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4. Despite a puncture that cost her over a minute, Emma Gilmour, coming off a strong finish last season, remained in contention, ending the day in sixth place.
The battle was not limited to the top spots. The 2WD classes saw fierce competition, with Bryn Jones taking a significant lead in the NZRC 2WD class and Dave Strong leading the Open 2WD. In the historic category, Deane Buist made a strong return, leading the field in his Ford Escort.
Sunday’s racing intensified with Hunt and Robbie Stokes entering the final stage, the iconic Kuri Bush, separated by a mere 0.1 second. In a dramatic conclusion, Hunt edged out Stokes by just 3.7 seconds to clinch the victory, while Stokes secured the day’s highest points. Tragedy struck for Jack Stokes as he was forced to retire from the rally lead due to mechanical issues caused by a stick puncturing his radiator.
Jack Hawkeswood completed the podium, making a strong comeback to finish third, narrowly outpacing Josh Marston. Gilmour managed to climb back to finish fifth, demonstrating resilience despite her early setback.
The rally not only highlighted the high skill level and competitive spirit of the drivers but also set a high bar for the rest of the championship. The competitors will next head to the South Canterbury Hydraulics Rally South Canterbury, promising another round of exhilarating rally action. As the dust settles in Otago, the championship is already shaping up to be a closely contested affair, with Hunt determined to defend his crown against an ever-evolving field of challengers.
Overall Otago Rally Results
01: B. Hunt/T. Rawstorn (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) – 2h 16m 57.0s
02: R. Stokes/S. Reynolds (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) + 2.7s
03: J. Hawkeswood/J. Farmer (Toyota GR Yaris AP4) + 2m 07.2s
04: J. Marston/A. Graves (Holden Barina AP4) + 2m 10.0s
05: E. Gilmour/B. Searcy (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 3m 20.4s
06: J. Worker/M. Marshall (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) + 6m 26.2s
07: D. MacDonald/L. Biggar (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) + 9m 39.7s
08: D. Buist/K. Celeste (Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII) + 11m 12.2s
09: J. Lenglet/F. Pedersen (Subaru Impreza STi N11) + 11m 24.2s
10: K. Meeke/N. O’Sullivan Jr. (Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII) + 12m 11.3s
You can find the full results here.