Buckley completes impressive Taupo line-up for Bridgestone GR86 opener
Talented Australian Alice Buckley – who became a force to be reckoned with late in last year’s Toyota 86 Championship – is the 25th and final driver for this weekend’s much anticipated Bridgestone GR86 opening round.
At this stage the Taupo weekend is a one-off appearance for the 17-year-old from Alberton in Queensland, who has been racing in the Australian GR86 Cup since her impressive run in New Zealand as well as finishing sixth in class – again in a Toyota 86 – at the Bathurst Six Hour.
Buckley showed pace and race craft in last year’s championship, and in the second half was a regular top ten qualifier and finisher with a best overall result of second at the Taupo Supercar championship finale on her way to a top ten finish in the championship points in ninth.
Aiming to go one better and get a win this weekend, her car will be run this weekend by the Race Lab Academy as part of its four car team.
The 25 car field is one of the strongest ever in the entire Toyota 86 racing history and features multiple champions from karting, Formula Ford other competitions.
It is also expected to be incredibly close. Pre-season testing at both Taupo and Hampton Downs Motorsport Park suggested as many as 20 of the drivers could win this weekend with around nine tenths of a second covering all of the best testing times.
2024-2025 Bridgestone GR86 Championship
Round 01: 22-24 November 2024, Taupo International Motorsport Park
Round 02: 17-19 January 2025, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park (International Layout)
Round 03: 31 Jan – 2 February 2025, Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 04: 7 – 9 February 2025, Highlands Motorsport Park, 69th New Zealand Grand Prix
Round 05: 21-23 March 2025, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park (National Layout)
Round 06: 11-13 April 2025, Taupo International Motorsport Park - Supercars
