Documenting the history of sim racing efforts by the governing body of motorsport in New Zealand.

2020 - MSNZ announces digital motorsport announcement

Motorsport NZ keen to get on the esports bandwagon announce that they will be making an announcement about some digital motorsport.

Elton Goonan, Motorsport NZ CEO, is confirmed as being part of the FIA Digital Motorsport Working Group. This group was tasked with defining regulations and processes for FIA sanctioned sim racing events such as the FIA GT World Tour.

2020 - Rally New Zealand Esports Series

With the cancellation of Rally New Zealand due to covid restrictions a smaller NZ only event was run in it’s place, and alongside that event, broadcast live on Sky Sport, was the Rally New Zealand Esports Series. Run on WRC 9 the series featured online qualifiers, live semi finals at Auckland Armageddon, and a live finals at Sky City. The semi finals also featured a celebrity race with Hayden Paddon continuing into the Sky City finals event.

The Rally New Zealand Esports Series was won by Timothy Vaughan.

2021 - MSNZ announces support for FIA Rally Star

In February MSNZ put out a press release announcing their support for the FIA Rally Star program. Only tangetially related to esports but with one qualifying pathway being in game it was pushed as a digital initiative. The FIA Rally Star was a new young talent detection program run globally to find and support the next rally star. Drivers could compete in the global online qualifiers using WRC 9 or through local traditional rally events organised by their countries governing body. MSNZ did not organise any such events so really this was just a marketing piece.

Mathew Smith qualified through the global online Rally at Home events before Jackson Clendon was nominated by MSNZ as a wildcard with no qualifying process. Both kiwis competed in the regional final in Madras, India.

2021 - MSNZ Launch First Esports Series

Off the back of a hugely popular 2kcup and Racing Local lockdown iRacing series that ran in 2020 MSNZ got involved and created their own iRacing events in 2021.

Announced in March as their first circuit racing Esports Series the eRace Series would run on iRacing across 5 rounds with 100 drivers taking part. Matt Stevens emerged from the winner takes all finale as the series champion.

Recordings are still available on Motorsport NZs Youtube.

2021 - MSNZ continue lockdown racing with Lockdown Challenge

The Lockdown Challenge was a series of one off events that offered real world prizes thanks to various race series getting involved and offering test days.

The GT4 Cup offered the winner a test drive in a Toyota 86 race car. Darryn Lobb won the GT4 Cup. Recording available on Youtube.

The Formula Vee Challenge offered the winner a test drive in a formula ford. The Formula Vee Challenge was won by Cameron Dance.

The 2KCup Shield awarded the winner of their 6 hour enduro a 2KCup car. I can’t find these results.

The BMW Festival offered the winner free entry into their BMW Scholarship. Darryn Lobb was also the winner of the BMW Festival. Recording available on Youtube.

The MSNZ Lockdown Challenge was extended in the September lockdowns with the Mountain Shootout taking place on iRacing using Mount Panarama. Callum Hedge won the event although there was no prize on offer this time. Recording available on Youtube.

2021 - MSNZ Support Olympic Virtual Series NZ Qualifier

Motorsport NZ offered their support to LetsPlay.Live to host a qualifying event for the Olympic Virtual Series motorsport event on Gran Turismo Sport. It was an online qualifier open across much of the world so the in person event was predominantly a marketing exercise but still cool to see that level of push in sim racing.

NZ didn’t end up qualified, beaten to the one Oceania spot by an Australian driver.

2022 - No Esports Involvement by MSNZ

With lockdowns clearing focus switched back to traditional motorsport and MSNZ lost interest in Esports.

2023 - New Zealand added to Tri-Nations Esports Cup

An iRacing contest between three nations hosted by Motorsport UK Esports the Tri-Nations cup pit 10 drivers of each nation against each other. The cumulative total points of each nation deciding the winner. In NZs first year we finished 2nd behind Australia with Ewan Baker the top placed kiwi.

2024 - MSNZ CEO Elton Goonan on the FIA Esports Commission

The FIA Esports Commission evolved out of the FIA Digital Motorsport Working Group to establish best practices for esports and create the FIAs regulatory framework. Their 2024 report is available on their website.

It is unclear exactly when the transition happened and weather Elton remained involved since 2020 but it is confirmed that Elton was on the board in 2024.

However the effectiveness of the associate could be called into question with Elton frequently not aware of details that the Esports Commission had communicated with it’s members. Specifically the original announcement of the FIA F4 free licenses and earlier the FIA Rally Star.

The Esports Commission continues to exist in 2026 but no longer has an NZ representative.

2024 - MSNZ Launch Esports Pass

The pass is an FIA initiative to bring a club membership/race license type system to sim racing. With the support of the FIA the pass offered drivers new to iRacing a full year subscription and access to the FIA F4 car as part of the $20 pass cost. Initially there was some iRacing time trials offered then the Tri-Nations cup was arranged to require NZ finalists to have an esports pass.

2024 - Tri-Nations Esports Cup

Once again hosted by Motorsport UK Esports requiring little effort from MSNZ this years edition saw Giltrap Group come on board to offer the top placed kiwi driver an undisclosed prize pack. Team NZ drivers would also now require a MSNZ Esports Pass to compete in the finals. Team NZ finished 2nd behind Australia with Stefan McCartain the top placed kiwi.
View results.

2025 - Four-Nations Esports Cup

The Tri-Nations is extended to four nations with the addition of South Africa. NZ finished 2nd with the UK taking it out, Antal Sabo finished as the top Kiwi.
View results.

2026 - MSNZ withdraws from all esports activity

Citing a need to focus on member clubs, events, and officials which MSNZ had been doing a poor job of, MSNZ stopped all sim racing activities. No more esports pass, NZ no longer in the Tri-Nations, no other sim racing plans.

As a substitute MSNZ arranged a partnership with Motorsport Australia (MSA) such that kiwis would be allowed to participate in MSA backed sim racing competitions. The first example of this was their Gran Turismo Competition that ran throughout 2026.

There was no public communication about these changes and I was only able to gather details after direct inquiry.

Article updated August 2026.
If you know of any missing information please get in touch.