Clay Osborne joins brother Fynn in Toyota 86 Championship

Hot on the heels of the announcement last week that Fynn Osborne will switch to a Toyota 86 next season, younger brother and former world karting champion Clay has confirmed he’ll be in the mega field this season too.

It is the first time in the nine year history of the Toyota 86 Championship that brothers have competed and means another of New Zealand’s top karting stars will line up for a shot at the title and a chance to secure a V8 Supercar test with Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Sixteen-year-old Clay has a superb record in karting dating back a decade. That record includes a world championship title won in Italy in 2019 and New Zealand titles in both 2015 and 2021 as well as two National Schools Championship victories.  

Clay also has some track time under his belt in Formula Ford. That campaign demonstrated that he’ll likely be a competitive force in the Toyota over the coming season and Clay confirmed he is aiming to be in the mix.

“I think this is the next big step for me to become a future star in motorsport,” he said. “The prize fund was also a key factor with the V8 test and other great prizes.

“I have tested the TR86 twice and have really enjoyed it both times. The car has a great balance of grip and speed which makes it a lot of fun but also challenging to drive.

“My objective will be to push as hard as I can from the first round and come away with a top three out of the series. This class is a great thing for New Zealand motorsport and I cannot wait to race the best and to be surrounded by some very experienced race car drivers. It’s where I want to be.”

Both Osborne entries will be supported by Power & Earth Limited, PowerLed, Wade, Piako Tractors, Greenville Auto Painters and Freight Traders.

With a grid of more than 20 cars and some of the top names in New Zealand motorsport, the 2021-2022 Toyota 86 Championship is shaping up to be the biggest and best ever. With the original start date changed due to Covid-19, the championship now begins at Pukekohe Park Raceway and December 3-5 and concludes at Hampton Downs over the April 22-24 weekend.