Latest / Rusty's Garage / The Motorsport Brief | Race of Champions launch with Chaz Mostert.

Transcript

The Motorsport Brief | Race of Champions launch with Chaz Mostert. · Rusty's Garage

• 0:02
  A listener production.
• 0:06
  That age-old question, who's the best driver?
• 0:09
  It's what happens when you bring all sorts of disciplines together to compete on a level playing field.
• 0:14
  Literally.
• 0:17
  G'day everyone, Rusty here.
• 0:18
  This episode of The Shortcast, our motorsport brief, was recorded at what's called Henry Stadium in Wellington.
• 0:23
  The Kiwis call it the cake tin.
• 0:25
  Lots of great sport here over the years, like the Bledisloe Cup Rugby and all kinds of big-name music acts too.
• 0:32
  It is about to have another impressive credit added with the race of champions heading back down under...
• 0:37
  for two shows.
• 0:38
  It was in Sydney last year.
• 0:40
  It'll be in New Zealand in January.
• 0:42
  Supercars champion Chas Mostert finished runner-up last time and is keen to go one better.
• 0:47
  You'll hear his chat, which also includes some reflections of his win at the Ben 500 last weekend too.
• 0:54
  We'll also be joined by Frederick Johnson, the founder and driving force of this event, to gauge who else might be coming and how he signed some gun F1 drivers, past and present, for these latest shows.
• 1:06
  Hayden Padden was there on the day too, but he was on the pod recently, so I didn't bail him up again.
• 1:11
  There is a lot of great energy around his podium result, though, in Paraguay in the WRC.
• 1:17
  Hope that might happen.
• 1:18
  lead to more opportunities for him there in the World Rally Championship.
• 1:22
  He told me about working with Possum Bourne's son too.
• 1:25
  That is a cool story which you can find on his social media.
• 1:28
  First up to Frederick Johnson, who has been on the pod, but we did that when the Sydney edition of Race of Champions was announced.
• 1:35
  That was in January last year.
• 1:37
  It has been a while.
• 1:38
  What began in 1988 with Michel Mouton has gone all around the world to some iconic places.
• 1:45
  We spoke after the press conference, the announcement, on the turf at the stadium on a sunny morning with a little Wellington breeze about, it's actually not all that far from where they used to stage the famous Wellington street races.
• 1:59
  Congratulations.
• 2:01
  You're going to New Zealand.
• 2:02
  And I sense there's been a want to do this for a little while.
• 2:05
  Is that right?
• 2:06
  Yeah, I mean, we've been speaking about it for years and years.
• 2:08
  There's so many talented drivers from New Zealand, so it's come up on the radar so many times, and we never really realistically thought it would be possible to do it.
• 2:16
  And now thanks to TEG and their relationship with the government, they came to us and said, hey, would you be interested?
• 2:21
  And we said, yeah, hell yeah.
• 2:23
  I mean, it's fantastic.
• 2:25
  New Zealand is my favorite country.
• 2:27
  I never say something I don't mean.
• 2:28
  I've been to 102 countries and this is my favorite, I mean, the most beautiful country in the world and the most amazing place.
• 2:35
  And same reaction from the drivers we've spoken to.
• 2:37
  They're all like, yes, we're coming and we'll combine it with a holiday here in New Zealand.
• 2:42
  At the same time, the family will want to come and so on.
• 2:44
  So there's a lot of excitement around this.
• 2:46
  Great work.
• 2:47
  When did it really kind of click into gear for January 2027?
• 2:50
  Was it earlier in the year when I saw you at the Grand Prix in Melbourne?
• 2:54
  Maybe you were starting to stitch the idea together then?
• 2:56
  How long before you've really hit the go button?
• 2:58
  So I think the first discussions were around that time, but it really rolled into place, I would say, about a month and a half ago.
• 3:06
  So it's gone pretty fast.
• 3:08
  And so that means you are now, because I had dinner with you last night, you are going flat, Chad, from trying to coordinate potential drivers that might come and play.
• 3:15
  You've kick-started today with some fantastic announcements.
• 3:19
  I mean, Chas going so close last time out, and he was super keen to come back.
• 3:26
  Oh, yes.
• 3:27
  So we looked at what are the drivers that we should first contact just for the first announcement and so on.
• 3:33
  And Shaz's name came up immediately.
• 3:34
  Obviously, he was second in Sydney, almost beating Sebastian Loeb, nine-time world rally champion in the final, and being reigning supercar champion as well in 2025.
• 3:45
  So I called him and he was, oh, so happy to hear from you.
• 3:48
  Loved race of champions, best event ever.
• 3:50
  Count me in, I'll be there.
• 3:52
  And then he goes, sorry, what was the date again?
• 3:54
  And he goes, mate, sorry, any other date I'd be there, but that's the due date of my second baby, my first baby boy.
• 4:00
  I have to do the right thing.
• 4:01
  I have to be there with my wife.
• 4:03
  I said, you're a good man, fully understand and respect that.
• 4:05
  And he goes, but don't worry, call any of the other supercars.
• 4:08
  They would all want to do it and they'll represent really well, just like Brody and Will in Sydney.
• 4:14
  They'll all want to do it and they'll represent and I'll be there for the next one.
• 4:18
  And so I started thinking about other names from supercars and thinking about drivers.
• 4:21
  And 20 minutes later, the phone rings again.
• 4:23
  She has again.
• 4:24
  She said, I just got home and I told my wife.
• 4:26
  And she goes, there's no way you're missing race with champion.
• 4:29
  I'll make sure the baby comes a week early.
• 4:32
  So he's now nominated for the very prestigious Race of Champions Wife of the Year award.
• 4:37
  100%.
• 4:38
  100%.
• 4:38
  So Haydn now, he's in just peak form at the moment.
• 4:43
  What he did in Paraguay was superb.
• 4:46
  And in a leadership sense, you know, he's in a great space here for New Zealand, isn't he?
• 4:51
  Yeah, I mean, what he did in Paraguay in finishing second, he could have won it.
• 4:54
  I think he just needed to make sure that he preserved that fantastic second place.
• 4:58
  Otherwise, I'm sure he could have beaten Paraguay for the overall win as well.
• 5:01
  Phenomenal driver, great experience.
• 5:05
  He's been a great help here with a lot of contacts for New Zealand motorsport and so on.
• 5:09
  So, yeah, absolutely very much looking forward to see what he can do here.
• 5:14
  You probably can't allude to it too much just yet.
• 5:17
  I know it's probably a work in progress.
• 5:19
  Great that Sebastian Vettel, I mean, who was, because of his love of New Zealand, he more or less arm twisted you about coming here, didn't he?
• 5:26
  Yeah, so when we did rock Sydney, Sebastian said, no, I've never been to New Zealand, I want to go there before.
• 5:32
  I said, are you sure you've only got two days, two and a half days?
• 5:35
  Yeah, I've never been, I really want to go to New Zealand.
• 5:37
  So he went for two and a half days before coming to Sydney.
• 5:40
  And he said, oh, fantastic, so beautiful.
• 5:42
  Frederick, you have to bring Race of Champions to New Zealand, so I have a reason to come back and spend more time here.
• 5:47
  So he was super happy when we decided to go to Wellington and...
• 5:50
  He confirmed his attendance immediately and he said he's probably coming with the family and doing a longer holiday as well.
• 5:55
  And I mean, every driver we've spoken to so far, and we've tried to keep it confidential up until now, so we've only spoken to a few.
• 6:01
  But they've all said yes, like Valtteri Bottas, for example, you know, phenomenal guy and driver.
• 6:07
  He immediately said yes as well.
• 6:09
  And...
• 6:11
  All the others have said, we want to come, and they're just now sorting out their days with their teams and so on.
• 6:16
  Some have babies coming and so on as well that they need to take into consideration.
• 6:20
  But we are expecting to have some very high-profile drivers confirming in the coming weeks.
• 6:25
  They are ultra passionate about their sport.
• 6:27
  There is a rich history of motorsport in this country.
• 6:30
  And you have a hell of a pool that I guess you're targeting.
• 6:33
  I mean...
• 6:34
  I don't know where you're at, right, but a Sir Scott Dixon, a Scott McLaughlin, a Shane Van Gisbergen, and beyond all that, right, there are some potentials here that would be unreal in this stage.
• 6:45
  Yeah, we've spoken to all three of those.
• 6:47
  And, you know, you've got Liam Lawson in F1.
• 6:50
  You've got the supercar guys like Matt Payne, Ryan Wood.
• 6:55
  And you've got the young guys like Louis Sharp, who's had a tough year this year, who's phenomenally talented.
• 7:02
  Nick Kemp.
• 7:02
  Cassidy Mitch.
• 7:03
  Cassidy Mitch Evans in Formula E. The list just goes on and on.
• 7:06
  Brendan Hartley, you know, multiple time Le Mans, 24 hours, world endurance champion.
• 7:11
  You've got so many phenomenally talented New Zealand drivers.
• 7:15
  So we're looking forward to an exceptional event here where they get a chance to compete in front of their home audience.
• 7:22
  A rare opportunity to compete against some of the best in the world from Formula One, World Rally, IndyCar, NASCAR, and so on.
• 7:28
  As we stand here, we are in fact right near, at the back end of COVID, I came here and I worked on a very big rugby match on the sideline for Network 10 in Australia, who telecasted your race of champions last time out in Sydney.
• 7:42
  This is a great blank canvas that you have in front of you here.
• 7:46
  And, you know, over the different iterations over the decades, you've often tried to...
• 7:51
  Do something a little unique, a little unique stamp almost, haven't you?
• 7:55
  Yeah, I mean, every stadium is different.
• 7:58
  Wembley Stadium is different, to Stade de France, to Bird Sense Olympic Stadium.
• 8:01
  This is the first time that we're in an oval.
• 8:04
  So we've got more space than usual.
• 8:06
  There are some restrictions.
• 8:08
  We have the football match on the 2nd of January.
• 8:10
  We're not allowed to touch certain areas of the turf.
• 8:14
  So we've got a basic design in mind, and I think it might be the fastest and one of the most spectacular race of Champions Stadium tracks we've ever had.
• 8:22
  So a little bit of fine-tuning to go still, but it will be spectacular.
• 8:27
  To finish here, two things.
• 8:28
  They love their supercars in this country, and with what Chas and the likes of Will and Brody did last time, you'll create a nice problem for yourself, I would imagine, in people's.
• 8:40
  and people wanting to come and be a part of that, right?
• 8:42
  So, you know, that Aussie-Kiwi rivalry will be a great thing, won't it?
• 8:48
  Yeah, I've got some Aussie friends and I've got some Kiwi friends, so I know the rivalry very, very well.
• 8:53
  So, yes.
• 8:54
  You know, the Aussies did phenomenally well in Rock Sydney.
• 8:58
  And the fans were phenomenal, especially on the last day, on the individual race of Champions Day.
• 9:04
  I think that the atmosphere that you'll find here is going to be even more spectacular.
• 9:08
  And the rivalry and the action.
• 9:10
  I think both the Kiwis and the Aussies have a really good chance.
• 9:13
  But once again, people like Sebastian Vettel and...
• 9:18
  The Nordics, the French, you know, they've got more experience than they do.
• 9:23
  So it'll be very interesting to see.
• 9:24
  Any man can win on the day.
• 9:25
  Frederik, to finish, two different dates, 9th and 10th of January, 2027.
• 9:30
  And the offering is different on both days for fans that might be thinking about coming, isn't it?
• 9:35
  Yes, so on Saturday the 9th, you got the Roc Nation's Cup.
• 9:38
  So teams of two representing countries from New Zealand, Australia, Germany, US, the Nordics, etc.
• 9:44
  Competing for the title, the world's fastest nation.
• 9:48
  And then on Sunday, the individual race of champions.
• 9:50
  It's each man for himself to crown the champion of champions.
• 9:53
  So, yeah, it'll be...
• 9:56
  Both days are very different.
• 9:57
  The team spirit on the Saturday and then the individual glory on Sunday.
• 10:04
  It'll be spectacular both days.
• 10:06
  Awesome to catch up with you as always.
• 10:07
  Congratulations, and I can't wait to see how well it goes.
• 10:09
  Thank you very much.
• 10:10
  Excited to be here.
• 10:11
  And as I said, you know...
• 10:13
  Race of champions, things never get boring for the fans.
• 10:16
  You can see every instant of the action from every seat in the stadium.
• 10:19
  And heats are decided by fractions of a second.
• 10:22
  You don't know who's winning you until the cars cross the line.
• 10:24
  So it's going to be spectacular.
• 10:26
  I'm so happy to be in Wellington.
• 10:28
  When we come back, Chas Mostert, the Aussies, that he wants to be a part of the line-up to battle the Kiwis, to take on the world.
• 10:34
  Some thoughts on last weekend's win at the Bend.
• 10:37
  And the lead-up to Bathurst is in full swing.
• 10:45
  This is the Motorsport Brief.
• 10:46
  We have a couple of recent eps that you might enjoy too.
• 10:49
  A short cast with Carina Napier, CEO of the Norwell Motorplex, the incredible work that they are doing there, and how they're taking it on the road too and staging car launches, media drive days and more all around the country while giving that next generation the foundations that they need in what is a world-class, almost university of motorsport.
• 11:10
  Plus a Father's Day feature with Terry Morris, a wild ride with BTCC boss Alan Gow in Peter Aderton's Nissan GTR, how he felt about the demise of super touring.
• 11:20
  A little known win after the chequered flag with his son Paul and Jeff Full and their class victory at Bathurst in the early 90s.
• 11:28
  Plus a cool car called a Zewska.
• 11:31
  and some insights on his incredible and varied business success story.
• 11:35
  They are both in our library.
• 11:36
  Check them out when you can.
• 11:37
  Now on to our second interview from the Race of Champions New Zealand launch, this time with supercar star Chas Mostert, who cannot wait for January to roll around so we can be a part of it all again.
• 11:51
  I gather there is a story around, A, you were very keen to be a part of this, but there was a little potential challenge.
• 11:59
  What was that?
• 12:00
  Well, first of all, when Frederick rang me, I was just like, oh, wow, how cool is this?
• 12:04
  I've been invited to Race of Champions.
• 12:05
  And I was like, mate, 100% I'm in, and he hadn't even told me any details yet.
• 12:10
  And then he's like, yeah, it's 8th and 9th of January.
• 12:13
  We'll see you there, mate.
• 12:14
  We'll be in New Zealand.
• 12:16
  And I'm like, okay, cool, cool.
• 12:17
  And then I'm like...
• 12:18
  hang on a second, what date did you say?
• 12:19
  And as soon as it was 8th and 9th, I'm like, oh, no, I can't do it.
• 12:24
  There's no way.
• 12:25
  So I'm expecting now me and Ree, my beautiful wife, our second child is due on that date or around that date.
• 12:33
  And so I said no.
• 12:34
  And then as soon as I got home, I said, oh, I was so honored.
• 12:37
  Frederick gave me a ring to invite me to race the champions.
• 12:40
  He goes, oh, why aren't you doing it?
• 12:41
  I'm like, oh, it's on the date we're having our second.
• 12:44
  And she's like, oh.
• 12:46
  what date?
• 12:47
  Okay, this, that, that timing.
• 12:48
  And she said, there's no way you're missing that event.
• 12:52
  Yeah, we'll get you there no matter what.
• 12:54
  So just absolutely blown away that she's, yeah, she knew how much this event means to me.
• 12:58
  I had so much fun in Sydney and I probably didn't stop raving about it for six months after that.
• 13:03
  So yeah, she's constantly a superhero in me and my little daughter's life.
• 13:07
  But yeah.
• 13:08
  Just for her to say you're not missing it is pretty cool, especially after you end up winning the championship after being a race of champions.
• 13:14
  So, yeah, it's nice to be coming back as a champion, I suppose.
• 13:17
  Lovely, mate.
• 13:17
  Lovely stuff.
• 13:19
  Now to potential Aussie colleagues that might come and join you.
• 13:22
  You realise your phone is going to ring hot now in addition to the founder, Frederick Johnson, because you and Will and Brodie, you loved it last time, didn't you?
• 13:30
  Yeah, we loved it.
• 13:31
  You know, for me, if any Australian guys are going to come back, you've got to have Will and Brodie.
• 13:36
  Those guys on and off track are just unbelievable for this type of event.
• 13:40
  And obviously, they made it all the way to the final in Nation Cup as well.
• 13:42
  So I know those guys have got unfinished business.
• 13:45
  But as a fourth, if we were going to have two Team Australians, I'd love to see someone like probably rally back around like Harry Bates or someone like that.
• 13:52
  That would be really cool, I think, to extend the welcome out there because, yeah, we could have a lot of fun.
• 13:57
  We are going to face some stiff opposition.
• 13:59
  They're passionate about their motorsport in this country, and they've got quite a pool to potentially pick from, headed by Hayden, who's here with us today.
• 14:06
  There's going to be a lot of, in this stadium here, there's going to be a lot of passion that you're up against, isn't there?
• 14:10
  Yeah, it'd be very fitting, you know, when whatever nation you're having, the race of champions, that nation does really well, you know.
• 14:17
  So, yeah, Kiwi drivers are just absolutely stacked in talent in so many different disciplines.
• 14:22
  We've seen that.
• 14:23
  I've seen that personally firsthand in supercars over so many years.
• 14:27
  Some of the best touring car drivers are all Kiwis, and they're so good that they end up going, well, I've done that and dominated that.
• 14:34
  I'm going to go do a different discipline now and either chase ovals or do things that are going crazy speed at Indy.
• 14:40
  So I'd love to see guys like Gisberg and McLaughlin come out for this.
• 14:45
  And if we can get the Formula One New Zealand superstar out here as well, that would be probably unreal.
• 14:50
  else so i think hopefully that they can do that for all their kiwi fans and get to this event and i'm sure they'll do well they've announced here that seb vettel and valtteri bottas are already in we saw sebastian lobe last time out i mean the great thing for you mate is that you get to hang with these absolute heroes and they're in a bit of a different space it's so much fun isn't it they're really in a you know they want to win naturally but they're chilled in the same breath
• 15:13
  Yeah, so amazing.
• 15:14
  I think for me when I was in Sydney, you're in a bit of awe when you see these guys.
• 15:20
  But then you just realise they're such normal dudes and behind the scenes they're just like you and Wired the same way.
• 15:25
  Love to have a lot of fun around this event and they're also just as honoured to be involved in it.
• 15:29
  So yeah, you're rubbing shoulders with a four-time world Formula One champion.
• 15:34
  You're basically rubbing shoulders with probably a guy that's more honourable Australian than the actual Aussies with Valtteri Bottas who...
• 15:42
  But they're just so awesome.
• 15:44
  And I just remember, I think it was like the Sunday night, sitting down with Valtteri and just chin wagging and just having a great time.
• 15:50
  It's so cool.
• 15:51
  So it'll be good to see those guys, see how they've been over the last two years.
• 15:55
  And no doubt there'll be plenty of shenanigans still happening behind the scenes and a lot more stories to come.
• 16:00
  Sunday, pretty wild day at the bend.
• 16:02
  Have you had a bit of chance to digest that now?
• 16:05
  And what do you make of all that?
• 16:06
  Congratulations.
• 16:06
  Congratulations.
• 16:07
  Yeah, thank you.
• 16:07
  No, I'm still pretty mind blown, to be honest.
• 16:10
  Yeah, normally when racing's going to plan, something's about to happen.
• 16:15
  So, yeah, that last 40, 50 laps for me, there's just a nightmare in my head driving around, waiting for something to happen.
• 16:23
  But the car was really good in the wet conditions.
• 16:25
  Even on the greasy track there towards the end, it was really good.
• 16:28
  Didn't expect to be kind of in that fight where we qualified in 11th, but it was really, really tight in qualifying as well.
• 16:33
  So...
• 16:34
  I know a lot of guys had bad luck, but for us, you've got to be in it to win it in those Enduros and put your best foot forward.
• 16:40
  Fabian did an amazing job, and obviously, Car2 did such a fantastic job to be on the podium as well.
• 16:45
  So for Toyota to go first and third is something we're so proud of after a pretty lean result probably this year.
• 16:52
  Woody's done a fantastic job, especially on Car1 side, to go and win the 500 was pretty special, and that race for me has eluded me.
• 16:58
  I've won the Bondowson twice, which has been so cool, but
• 17:01
  The 500s always kind of just kept kicking me in the shins.
• 17:04
  So cool to finally tick it off my bucket list.
• 17:06
  Tell me about your thoughts heading into Bathurst.
• 17:08
  It's only a couple of weeks away.
• 17:09
  Obviously a very different event there with all the weather that you experience and so on.
• 17:13
  You feel confident going to the mountain?
• 17:14
  What do you think?
• 17:16
  we go to 1000 you just can't discount any combination or any team you know seen over the years there is always some some team steps up or some driver combination so for us which is great we just had an awesome result we'll take that but we don't want to get complacent either so we'll make sure we will double down for the 1000 as we always do something rich history there with the walkingshaw team they go second to none and the other team in preparation i no doubt that
• 17:41
  That car is almost on its way back to the workshop after the weekend and it will be stripped down to every single bolt and rebuilt and get ready for the 1000 because that's how our history is there.
• 17:50
  So, yeah, we'll just see how we go.
• 17:52
  I know there's a few things we can tidy up on, but no doubt everyone will be doing that and looking for perfection come the 1000.
• 17:57
  You're never one to get ahead of yourself.
• 17:59
  We're kind of 10 months into you now as champion, right?
• 18:03
  And a lot of, I guess, responsibility comes with that.
• 18:06
  A lot of things go... Have you enjoyed that?
• 18:09
  What has that whole thing been like for you so far this year?
• 18:11
  It's still like, you know, you know better than anyone, Rusty.
• 18:14
  The motorsport is just, it feels like one continuously long year.
• 18:19
  Even though you have two months off over the break, it's still kind of hard to comprehend one season versus 13 years of back-to-back.
• 18:26
  So it's one of them ones you're so focused on going forward.
• 18:29
  It's so hard to really reflect on finally achieving what I've wanted to achieve for so long last year because I had a brand-new Toyota to dial in this year and focusing on trying to defend it.
• 18:40
  So...
• 18:40
  And just absolutely still blown away that we ended up winning the championship last year.
• 18:45
  You just sort of pinch yourself moment, but Ayes is always going forward.
• 18:50
  And I think this year is even going to be a harder task.
• 18:51
  We have a brand new car with so many different teams and so many different guys firing at the moment.
• 18:57
  And so I think even...
• 18:59
  Last year's first finals was unpredictable.
• 19:01
  I think year two of finals this year is even going to be more unpredictable.
• 19:05
  So if you like what you saw last year or you didn't like what you saw last year, you're definitely probably going to like or not like what you see this year, which is exciting.
• 19:13
  And when the sport's exciting, you've got eyeballs on it and you roll that emotion because when you have that emotion in sport, there's something spectacular about to happen.
• 19:23
  Cracking job by Fabs.
• 19:24
  You're powering, mate.
• 19:25
  Enjoy the back end of the year and go well at the mountain.
• 19:27
  Thank you.
• 19:28
  Thank you.
• 19:28
  Yeah, Fabs was like a duck in that start of that stint.
• 19:30
  So if it rains again, we'll put him in for two-thirds of the Bathurst 1000.
• 19:35
  So good for him to get the result.
• 19:37
  He's been trying for so many years and good to get him another win.
• 19:40
  Thank you, mate.
• 19:41
  Thank you.
• 19:42
  That is it for today.
• 19:43
  I'm talking with Andrew Miedicke this week for a feature episode from single-seaters to owning motor vehicle dealerships and racing with the late, great Peter Brock and more.
• 19:53
  Keep an eye out for notifications on that.
• 19:55
  Bye for now.
• 20:02
  you