Rookie Kaleb Ngatoa wins NZ Grand Prix pole in close-knit qualifying
Rookie Kaleb Ngatoa has mastered the wet Hampton Downs conditions and claimed pole position for the 66th New Zealand Grand Prix.
With conditions changing throughout the Sunday morning qualifying session, it came down to the final moments of track time as the top spot was traded between Daniel Gaunt, Chris van der Drift, Matthew Payne, Tom Alexander, and Conrad Clarke.
The battle was barely over when veteran Greg Murphy stated his claim for the front row, but it was Ngatoa’s last-chance effort which saw him claim the coveted starting position.
“They told me P1 on the radio,” he said.
“I have to say I did get a bit emotional. I mean, this is the New Zealand Grand Prix. It’s a very special moment and for everyone who has supported me, but we’ve got a full day of racing ahead and I’ve got to focus on that now.”
Daniel Gaunt will line up next to him on the front row.
“With it being so changeable and on limited time it was all looking for grip and finding it in unusual places, especially on the sections of track we don’t normally use here,” he said.
“It all came together thankfully.”
Shane van Gisbergen will be one to watch, starting in tenth despite his dominant performance in Race 1 on Saturday.
NEW ZEALAND GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING RESULTS
Kaleb Ngatoa
Daniel Gaunt
Matthew Payne
Chris van der Drift
Greg Murphy
Conrad clark
Tom Alexander
Andre Heimgartner
Damon Leitch
Shane van Gisbergen
Billy Frazer
Brendon Leitch
Peter Vodanovich
Joshua Bethune
Chris Vlok
Ken Smith
(Image: John Cowpland/TGRNZ)
