Australian Porsche racer Aaron Zerefos delivered an impressive performance in New Zealand over the weekend of 18–19 January, securing pole position for the feature race and finishing on the podium at the Taupō Historic Grand Prix.
Competing at the technically demanding Taupō Historic Grand Prix, Zerefos was immediately on pace aboard his #94 Porsche, crediting both the car and his local team for a strong weekend on track.
“The weekend went very well – the #94 Porsche was fast as soon as we rolled it off the truck,” Zerefos said. “The NZ LG Motorsport crew were great to work with all weekend.”
Sunday morning racing on 19 January presented additional challenges, with wet conditions greeting drivers at the Taupō International Circuit. Zerefos adapted quickly, managing tyre strategy and changing track conditions as the race unfolded.
“We had a wet track on Sunday morning, which was challenging, but the wet tyres did their job nicely,” he said. “Taupō is quite technical and hard on the tyres, so I had to manage the rears and be smooth on the throttle. Luckily, it all worked out and the track dried nicely.”
A pivotal moment came following a late safety car restart, where Zerefos executed a tactical move to gain the advantage heading into the closing stages of the feature race.
“On the safety car restart, I tried to stack the field and get a good jump out of the last chicane, which gave me a good lead going into Turn 1,” he explained.
Despite sustained pressure from GT3 Cup competitors late in the race, Zerefos held firm to secure a top-three finish, rounding out a highly successful New Zealand return.
“I had some pressure from the GT3 Cups towards the end of the race and was happy to bring it home on the podium.”
Zerefos’ performance has not gone unnoticed, with the Australian driver receiving an invitation to return to New Zealand to compete in the Porsche NZ Pirelli Series on 24–25 April. The invitation comes amid an already demanding international racing schedule.
His focus now turns to the Bathurst 12 Hour, to be held from 13–15 February, followed by a busy stretch that includes the Bathurst 6 Hour and the Melbourne Grand Prix in March.
Off the track, Zerefos also highlighted the strong connection with the Greek diaspora during the Taupō weekend.
“It was great to meet some Greeks from New Zealand over the weekend in Taupō and grow my fan base,” he said.
With momentum building early in the season, Zerefos’ New Zealand podium performance adds another strong result to his growing international racing profile.
