Team 18 will take the fight across the ditch as the Repco Supercars Championship heads to New Zealand for Round 3 this weekend at the Taupo Super440.
This marks Supercars’ second visit to the Taupo International Motorsport Park in the heart of New Zealand’s central North Island. Known for its technical layout, tight switchbacks, and fast straights, the Taupo circuit demands both precision and consistency from drivers. With cooler autumn conditions and wind gusts off nearby Lake Taupō, teams will also need to adapt to changing grip levels across the weekend.
A key variable for this weekend is the introduction of mixed tyre compounds for the first time in 2025. Saturday will feature two 37-lap (120km) sprint races, with the opening race and Sunday’s 61-lap (200km) finale running on the Dunlop Soft Tyre, while the second sprint will see the debut of the grippier but less durable Super Soft compound. This new tyre strategy is expected to shake up pit lane and add an unpredictable element to the racing.
DEWALT Racing’s Anton De Pasquale heads to Taupo with fond memories, having claimed the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy as the overall round winner in 2024. He’s eager to return to New Zealand and continue that form as he chases more silverware in 2025.
De Pasquale is confident in the team’s preparation and sees the mixed-compound format as a challenge the team is ready to meet.
Meanwhile, TRADIE Energy Racing’s David Reynolds is keen to bounce back from a frustrating start to the season. Reynolds is embracing the challenge of the unknown with the mixed tyre format this weekend and hopes for a cleaner run at Taupo to show the true potential of the TRADIE Energy Camaro.
The Taupo Super440 officially kicks off with a Track to Town parade and signing session in downtown Taupo on Thursday from 3:45pm to 5:15pm, giving fans the chance to meet their favourite drivers up close.
Saturday morning begins with back-to-back knockout qualifying sessions from 10:25am, followed by the first 37-lap race at 12:50pm. Race two follows in the afternoon at 3:40pm on the Super Soft compound.
Sunday starts with qualifying at 10:35am, a Top 10 Shootout at 12:50pm, and wraps up with the feature 200km race at 3:05pm.
