{"id":206603,"date":"2025-12-29T11:34:26","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T11:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/206603\/"},"modified":"2025-12-29T11:34:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T11:34:26","slug":"2025-speedcafe-driver-of-the-year-30-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/206603\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Speedcafe Driver of the Year: 30\u201321"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Speedcafe-driver-of-the-year-2025-30-21.jpg\" alt=\"Speedcafe Driver of the Year: 30\u201321\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTodd Hazelwood enters the 2025 Speedcafe Driver of the Year at 25th.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1005506\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0f80432c-0683-82d1-02a7-c2368ea1744d-copy.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Ninovic won the 2025 GB3 championship.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Alex Ninovic won the 2025 GB3 championship. Image: Jakob Ebrey Photography<\/p>\n<p>30 \u2013 Alex Ninovic<\/p>\n<p>As Louis Sharp showed, winning the GB3 Championship can vault you straight into the deep end \u2013 and Alex Ninovic is on a similar trajectory.<\/p>\n<p>The Australian won this year\u2019s \u201cFormula 3\u201d title, beating compatriot Patrick Heuzenroeder.<\/p>\n<p>He was the class of the field. Ninovic won nine of the 30-race schedule. No other driver won more than three races across the season.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019ll graduate to the FIA Formula Regional European Championship with Rodin in 2026 \u2013 a safer and more measured step up than diving into the deep end of the FIA Formula 3 Championship.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1015703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Badraoui-Rolex-IMSA-1-26-25-32919.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>James Allen celebrates winning the 2025 Daytona 24. Image: Brandon Badraoui\/LAT Images<\/p>\n<p>29 \u2013 James Allen<\/p>\n<p>James Allen is Australian motorsport\u2019s sport car sleeper.<\/p>\n<p>In the ultra-competitive LMP2 division, Allen emerged on top at the Daytona 24 with United Autosports.<\/p>\n<p>Alen was also a race winner in the European Le Mans Series and narrowly missed out on winning the Asian Le Mans Series.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1005753\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Lochie-Hughes-INDY-NXT-WeatherTech-Raceway-Laguna-Seca-Testing-By_-Travis-Hinkle_Large-Image-Without.jpeg\" alt=\"Lochie Hughes at Laguna Seca.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Lochie Hughes at Laguna Seca. Image: Travis Hinkle<\/p>\n<p>28 \u2013 Lochie Hughes<\/p>\n<p>Lochie Hughes finished third in his rookie Indy NXT campaign.<\/p>\n<p>He was beaten by the far more experienced Dennis Haugher, and was pipped to second by another experienced head in Caio Collet.<\/p>\n<p>If not for a tough end to the season, Hughes could have been runner-up.<\/p>\n<p>There is no doubt Hughes is the favourite for the 2026 Indy NXT title \u2013 something he\u2019ll likely have to win to have any hope of stepping up to IndyCar in 2027.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1011819\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/KB1_4274.jpg\" alt=\"Jayden Ojeda on the grid before Sunday's Supercars race at the Sandown 500.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden Ojeda on the grid before Sunday\u2019s Supercars race at the Sandown 500. Image: Kassandra Brumley<\/p>\n<p>27 \u2013 Jayden Ojeda<\/p>\n<p>By the time Jayden Ojeda arrived at the Bathurst 1000, PremiAir Racing had him signed for 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Though the Great Race did not bear the fruit of the podium, he was a standout with Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Ryan Wood. If not for their car expiring, they would likely have factored into the race for the win.<\/p>\n<p>Ojeda\u2019s season included third in GT World Challenge Australia, two pole positions and two podiums in GT World Challenge Asia, a full-time graduation to Supercars, and a top 10 shootout berth in his second start with PremiAir at Adelaide.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1003235\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Jobe-Stewart.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1236\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Jobe Stewart with Cooper Murray and Aaron Cameron on the grid. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n<p>26 \u2013 Jobe Stewart<\/p>\n<p>When Erebus threw Jobe Stewart into the deep end by putting him up against the primary drivers at The Bend 500, there were fears he\u2019d sink.<\/p>\n<p>Stewart shone, putting in a performance that convinced Erebus to give the young gun a full-time graduation in place of Matt Stone Racing-bound Jack Le Brocq.<\/p>\n<p>Stewart\u2019s below-par results in the Super2 Series underlined why the series is so hard to use as an accurate barometer of ability. In Supercars, however, he\u2019s got the good.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1003057\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Supercars-TheBend500-Sunday-236.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood celebrate victory at The Bend. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n<p>25 \u2013 Todd Hazelwood<\/p>\n<p>He dominated the Trans Am title and won The Bend 500. What more is there to say? Todd Hazelwood turned everything to gold in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1007136\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2025SRO_R1PI_GTWCA_GT4_RACE_PROJECT_21070.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Rylan Gray aboard a Mustang GT4. Image: Race Project<\/p>\n<p>24 \u2013 Rylan Gray<\/p>\n<p>Rylan Gray proved he\u2019s got the goods in 2025, winning the Super2 Series and running a close second in GT4 Australia.<\/p>\n<p>Dick Johnson Racing\u2019s decision to pick the youngster up is an achievement in and of itself.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-994073\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Murray-Stewart.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1252\" height=\"930\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Cooper Murray and Jobe Stewart. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n<p>23 \u2013 Cooper Murray<\/p>\n<p>Coopery Murray began his rookie season very much rough around the edges, but his Bathurst 1000 cemented in the minds of some what they knew he was capable of.<\/p>\n<p>Murray mightn\u2019t have threatened to make the Finals Series, but there is no reason why he can\u2019t be a contender in 2026 if he irons out his kinks.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1011101\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/KB1_2715-copy.jpg\" alt=\"Team 18's David Reynolds at Sandown Raceway.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Team 18\u2019s David Reynolds at Sandown Raceway. Image: Kassandra Brumley<\/p>\n<p>22 \u2013 David Reynolds<\/p>\n<p>Second in an epic conclusion to Bathurst 1000 was the highlight of David Reynolds\u2019 season.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1007274\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/JM1_2665.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Matt Payne and James Golding begin the final lap of the Bathurst 1000. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n<p>21 \u2013 James Golding<\/p>\n<p>First across the line at the Bathurst 1000, a third place finish in the Great Race really was the standout result for James Golding.<\/p>\n<p>The PremiAir Racing driver looked like he would put the Gold Coast-based team into the Finals Series but suffered a slump midway through the season.<\/p>\n<p>Golding moves to the Blanchard Racing Team in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/t.cfjump.com\/92797\/b\/285249\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none; vertical-align: middle;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/285249.gif\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Todd Hazelwood enters the 2025 Speedcafe Driver of the Year at 25th. Alex Ninovic won the 2025 GB3&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":206604,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[124050,111,139,69,1732,213],"class_list":{"0":"post-206603","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-driver-of-the-year","9":"tag-new-zealand","10":"tag-newzealand","11":"tag-nz","12":"tag-slot4","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/206604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=206603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=206603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}