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Motorsport Wrapped: 2025 year in review
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Motorsport Wrapped: 2025 year in review

Giltrap Motorsport’s 2025 season was packed with highs, from Shane van Gisbergen’s historic NASCAR Cup Series debut to Matt Payne's Bathurst 1000 win. Our drivers have been busy making their mark across global championships. Our Year in Review celebrates podium finishes, breakthrough performances, and the resilience that defined an unforgettable year on the track.

Shane van Gisbergen – NASCAR

Shane van Gisbergen had an impressive rookie season in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series. Driving for Trackhouse Racing, he won five races on road and street courses, including Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, and the Charlotte Roval. He earned three pole positions, led 312 laps, and finished with five top-five and seven top-10 results. He placed 12th in the final standings and won Rookie of the Year. While he dominated on road courses, he struggled on ovals with an average finish of 21st and was eliminated in the Round of 16 in the playoffs. His debut season was seen as a major success and positioned him as one of the most promising drivers for the 2026 season.

Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson closed out his 2025 Formula 1 season with Racing Bulls on a strong note, demonstrating steady progress and reliability across the year. Competing in a highly competitive midfield, Lawson delivered multiple points finishes and showed he could adapt quickly to changing conditions and strategies. His ability to stay composed under pressure and extract performance from the car earned respect within the paddock and reinforced his potential as a long-term asset for the team. These efforts have been rewarded with a new contract for 2026, giving Lawson the opportunity to continue building on this foundation as Formula 1 enters a new technical era. With another year of experience under his belt, both Lawson and Racing Bulls are looking ahead with confidence to further improvements and stronger results.

Matt Payne – Supercars

Matthew Payne had a standout 2025 Supercars season, cementing himself as one of the series’ rising stars. Driving for Grove Racing in a Ford Mustang, Payne claimed five race victories, including a dominant win in the Adelaide Grand Final, where he led from start to finish. His season highlights featured major triumphs such as winning Bathurst 1000, the Endurance Cup alongside Garth Tander, and the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.

Ryan Wood – Supercars

Ryan Wood’s 2025 Supercars Championship season was a breakthrough year filled with milestones and strong performances. Driving for Walkinshaw Andretti United, Wood achieved his first career race win at Perth, backed up by multiple podiums and a pole position, showcasing his growing consistency and speed. His efforts contributed to WAU’s impressive leap to third in the Teams’ Championship. Overall, 2025 marked the start of Wood’s rise as a genuine contender in Supercars.

André Heimgartner - Supercars

André Heimgartner had a solid 2025 Repco Supercars Championship season with Brad Jones Racing. He gained 10 or more positions in five races, the most of any driver, and finished ninth overall, earning a place in the inaugural Finals Series. His ability to recover positions and maintain consistency made him an important part of BJR’s campaign.

Ryan Yardley – Porsche Carrera Cup North America

Ryan Yardley delivered an outstanding 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup North America season, winning the championship with TOPP Racing. Across 16 races, he earned 14 podiums and three victories, including a dominant sweep of the final rounds. Marking this as breakthrough year for the Kiwi and setting the stage for an exciting future in GT racing.

Hunter McElrea – IMSA

Hunter McElrea enjoyed an impressive 2025 campaign in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, solidifying his reputation as one of endurance racing’s rising stars. Driving for TDS Racing in the LMP2 class, McElrea delivered standout performances, including major victories at the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the prestigious Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

Brendon Leitch – Lamborghini Super Trofeo

Brendon Leitch’s 2025 race season was one of his busiest and most successful to date, showcasing his versatility across endurance and GT racing. Driving in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia and Europe series, included a standout guest appearance at Misano where he scored back-to-back wins in the European finale alongside Nicolas Stati. His year also featured competitive outings in the Asian Le Mans Series and other endurance events, underlining his growing reputation as a Lamborghini specialist.

Marco Giltrap – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia

Marco Giltrap delivered an impressive 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia season, showing strong pace and consistency with Team Porsche New Zealand. Building on that success, he’s taking the next step in his career by joining Porsche Carrera Cup Asia in 2026, where he’ll compete in the latest 992.2-generation Cup car and gain valuable international experience.

Clay Osborne – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia

Clay Osborne made an impressive debut in the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, competing in the Pro class with McElrea Racing. The young Kiwi showed strong pace and maturity throughout the season, highlighted by a top-five finish early on and consistent performances against a highly competitive field.

Brock Gilchrist – Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

Brock Gilchrist impressed in his 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia rookie season with Team Porsche New Zealand, scoring multiple top-five finishes and a podium at Bangsaen. Driving the #10 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, he showed strong pace from the start, including podiums at Shanghai, and ended the year as one of the series’ most promising young talents.

Callum Hedge – INDYNXT

Callum Hedge impressed in the 2025 INDY NXT season with consistent top-ten finishes and two podiums, including a standout result at Laguna Seca. Driving for ABEL Motorsports, he showed adaptability across all track types and finished seventh in the championship, cementing his status as a rising star in open-wheel racing.

Liam Sceats – INDYNXT

Liam Sceats debuted in Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports, finishing 18th overall with 162 points. He earned five top-10 results, including a best finish of sixth at Barber Motorsports Park. Despite no wins or podiums, Sceats showed steady progress and resilience in his rookie year.

Brendon Hartley – WEC

Brendon Hartley’s 2025 WEC season showcased his consistency and skill. Driving the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID with Sébastien Buemi and Ryō Hirakawa, he delivered strong results, including a podium challenge at Le Mans and a second-place finish in Bahrain. Despite tough competition and mid-season challenges, Hartley remained a key contributor to Toyota’s success, reinforcing his reputation as one of endurance racing’s most reliable drivers.

Earl Bamber – WEC & IMSA

Earl Bamber’s 2025 season saw him race full-time in both WEC with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA and IMSA with Whelen Motorsports. In WEC, he helped deliver Cadillac’s first Hypercar win at São Paulo, while in IMSA he closed the year strongly with victories at Indianapolis and Petit Le Mans, securing second in the GTP standings. His performance highlighted consistency and leadership across both championships.

Scott Dixon – INDYCAR

New Zealand’s own Scott Dixon proved once again why he’s an IndyCar legend in 2025. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, the six-time champion finished third in the standings, scored a win at Mid-Ohio, and set a record for most career starts in series history. Even after two decades at the top, the Kiwi continues to show unmatched consistency.

We can't wait for another epic year in 2026, thank you for all the support this year.