Brock Gilchrist took pole position in style at Hampton Downs. Picture Bruce Jenkins
Brock Gilchrist underlined his status as a favourite for the 2023 Toyota 86 Championship with a stunning performance in
qualifying at the third round of the championship at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Hampton Downs.
The Matakana driver needed just one warm up lap before releasing a sensational lap that left the others gasping and gave
him pole position and the best possible start to the weekend.
Gilchrist was on the money immediately as the 20 minute session got underway – clocking a 1.53.5 second lap on his first
flyer with the other leading lights of testing, Justin Allen, Clay Osborne and Tayler Bryant just a few tenths behind.
Ten minutes in and the top three remained the same but John Penny, who had enjoyed a strong Friday test in dry and wet
conditions, popped up into fourth ahead of rookie Tom Bewley. Hunter Robb, new to the championship this weekend and
competing in one of two rounds this season, popped up in sixth with Bryant nudged down to seventh with seven minutes to
go.
With the track temperature warming up by five degrees during the session thanks to the first sunshine in several days in
the Waikato, nobody could get anywhere near the top runners, let alone Gilchrist’s best time and it left the 18 year old
brimming with confidence for the rest of the weekend.
“Obviously the goal is to be able to get the quickest time possible somehow we managed to do that on our first lap which
was pretty cool,” he said afterwards.
“We did try but the track conditions changed and made a world of difference. Qualifying sets you up for the race weekend
of course and we’ll be in good shape for that first one and we’ll be going for the win.”
Allen was pretty happy with his front row start after clocking his personal best around the long layout of the North
Waikato track, while Osborne and Penny locked out row two. Bewley and Robb will start from the third row with Bryant and
Fynn Osborne lining up on row four. Rylan Gray and Teretonga round winner Dion Pitt round out the top ten qualifiers.
Further back, Mallard and Mallard occupy the ninth row of the grid. It is the first time in the ten year history of the
championship that a father and son have competed against each other. This time it was youngster Thomas who got the
victory over dad Mark, by just three tenths of a second.
For the 19 drivers competing this weekend, the dry conditions for qualifying were very welcome after two days of testing
in very unsettled conditions and the session was incident free.2023 Toyota 86 Championship – Round 3 – Hampton Downs – Qualifying
1. Brock Gilchrist
2. Justin Allen
3. Clay Osborne
4. John Penny
5. Tom Bewley
6. Hunter Robb
7. Tayler Bryant
8. Fynn Osborne
9. Rylan Gray
10. Dion Pitt
11. William Exton
12. Harry Townshend
13. Christina Orr-West
14. Saxon Sheehan
15. Ayrton Hodson
16. Will Morton
17. Thomas Mallard
18. Mark Mallard
19. Tim Leach2023 Toyota 86 Championship – Points after two rounds
1. Brock Gilchrist - 375
2. Dion Pitt - 362
3. Clay Osborne - 359
4. Justin Allen - 342
5. Rylan Gray - 267
6. William Exton -260
7. John Penny - 256
8. Tom Bewley - 240
9. Christina Orr-West - 229
10. Tayler Bryant - 228
11. Fynn Osborne - 211
12. Ayrton Hodson - 175
13. Tim Leach - 154
14. Will Morton - 124
15. Saxon Sheehan - 124
16. Harry Townshend - 86
17. Thomas Mallard - 82
18. Sam Cotterill – 54
19. Hunter Robb – 0
20. Mark Mallard - 02023 Toyota 86 Championship Calendar
Rd1 13-15 January 2023 - Highlands Motorsport Park
Rd2 20-22 January 2023 - Teretonga Park
Rd3 3-5 February 2023 - Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
Rd4 17-19 March 2023 - Taupo International Motorsport Park
Rd5 14-16 April 2023 - Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon
Rd6 5-7 May 2023 - Hampton Downs Motorsport Park