This is the time on the Motorsport calendar that I look forward to most.

The annual MotorSport NZ awards recognise the efforts of our most talented and dedicated, be they competitors, officials or media. Others, in particular our younger members, aspire to follow in their footsteps and it is a privilege to be in a position to personally congratulate these champions on their success.

During the awards ceremony, we will also be announcing the next group of young drivers selected for the Elite Motorsport Academy. The Academy has proved very successful in helping prepare our top motor racing and rallying talent to compete on the local and international stages. Indeed, many graduates have gone on to either secure Gold Star Championships and / or join professional race teams overseas.

Further aiding driver development, we are fortunate to be one of two countries outside of Formula One to run a Grand Prix, which no doubt attracts Northern Hemisphere interest and improves the level of competition here. Our five Gold Star Championships are also coveted – they provide clear objectives for competitors striving to be the best in NZ and are important stepping stones for those with international aspirations.

It is critical that MSNZ, as the Sport’s governing body and FIA representative, protects the integrity and certainty of the Grand Prix and our championships. We make a long-term commitment to the classes selected to contest a Gold Star for the sake of competitors, organisers, sponsors and those planning their route to the top. It is essential that, where appropriate, we support these classes to ensure they continue to provide the pathways to success to which we are constitutionally bound and which have already been taken by some of our best-known motorsport stars.

I look forward to seeing those of you who are able to attend the AGM and Awards next week. As always, there is much to discuss – such is the beauty of democracy!

Regards,

Shayne Harris
President