After another successful F1 season comes to a close, the attention moves 12,000 miles a way to New Zealand, and a question that is asked every year by many people is "Who’s going to win the teams championships”? Will the North Island teams show their dominance, or could a South Island team win this coveted title only for the second time? One question spectators didn’t expect to be asking is could another island take the title

For the first time in the sports history a Great British team will fly out to Palmerston North, New Zealand to compete in the 28th staging of the ENZED sponsored SuperStock Teams Championships in February.

Racing in New Zealand’s biggest spectator sport, Team GB will consist of 5 members, of which only 4 drivers will compete at any one time. The 12 teams are split into 4 groups of three, which sees each team race twice in each group.

With points awarded to the first 4 driver’s home in each race, only the highest point scorers from each group will go through to the Semi Finals on the 2nd night. And this task lies with Frankie Wainman Jnr, Stuart Smith Jnr, Tom Harris, Murray Harrison, and Mark Taylor.

All five drivers have a great deal of racing experience with Frankie and Murray having competed in friendly teams on previous visits with Stuart Smith been awarded a drive for the Manawatu Mustangs in this year’s Championships.

Team GB’s aim will be to get through to the day 2 Semi Finals and in to the Championship final, but there is no easy route to that achievement, they will be up against some hardened, experienced teams such as the Nelson Tigers captained by
Dale Ewers, Canterbury Glen Eagles captained by Mark Osbourne, Waikato Wanderers, Rotorua Rebels, and of cause the Palmerston North Panthers who will be fielding Scott Miers, Peter Rees, Peter Bengston, Wayne Hemi and Shane Penn, who have won the title 12 times and are the defending champions.

So who will Team GB be drawn against on the first night, well we won’t know till 2 weeks before the event. The teams will be drawn live on TV, a bit like the FA cup.

So who’s cars will our drivers be using, well thanks to Scotty Miers, Sonja Hickey, Bruce Robertson and a car supplied from fellow English men Rob & Clive Lintern, the GB team
members will also race as individuals in the prestigious World 240’s Championships at Rotorua, and the 248’s at Palmerston North, which will get them used to the cars. The task of signing the cars to make them all look similar has been awarded to
Zoe of Zoez Signz, now NZ resident and owner of 1st Signs.
Zoe will be producing the Team GB livery for all five cars, designs will be posted on the website soon.

A team manager is required so chief organiser of Team GB, Guy Parker has brought in the big guns to coach the team, by secured the support from one of New Zealand’s top team
racers, former Wellington Wildcat ace Tony Mclanachan to manage Team GB down under.
“Tonys appointment as team manager will be great for the
eam, as he was one of the best drivers in New Zealand and
has over 20 years of experience of competing at this level, which will stand us in good stead to achieving the teams
goals which includes reaching day two and the Semi Finals
of the championships”  - Guy Parker

You can keep up to date with Team GB developments on the run up to the event as well as the team’s progress via this website.

Enthusiasm for Team GB is spreading, with Ed Creations currently working to produce a set of team cars to celebrate
the occasion. We are also pleased to announce that
TENG TOOLS (NZ) will be supporting the team along with New Zealand based race seat experts RACE TECH. For all travelling Team GB supporters, The Grand Beer Cafe in Palmerston North has become a Team GB partner and will be the teams social HQ.