KIWIS’ 2019 FIA RATINGS

We’re a nation of talented wheelmen. There are Kiwis out there topping the ranks in multiple motorsport series across the world, and those achievements are reflected well in the latest FIA Driver Categorisation list — a system that ranks drivers on the basis of their achievements, performance, and age for categorization in sports car racing championships such as the FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans. The list was released at the end of 2018.

Topping the list of local offerings was former Supercars champion and drifter Shane Van Gisbergen, new Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin, and five-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon. The 51-page document covers over 3700 drivers, with 38 New Zealand drivers that have one of the four ratings applied for international endurance racing.

There are currently five Platinum drivers, including Formula 1 racer and Le Mans winner Brendon Hartley, 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship winner Earl Bamber, and former Aston Martin Racing endurance–turned–Supercars driver Richie Stanaway — McLaughlin awaits automatic upgrading to Platinum after claiming the 2018 Supercars Championship. Based in Japan, Nick Cassidy headlines the Gold ranking, along with Craig Baird, Mitch and Simon Evans, Matt Halliday, Chris van der Drift, and Bathurst winner Steven Richards.

PLATINUM:

Shane Van Gisbergen, Scott Dixon, Richie Stanaway, Brendon Hartley, Earl Bamber

GOLD:

Scott McLaughlin (Platinum pending), Nick Cassidy, Mitch Evans, Simon Evans, Craig Baird, Matt Halliday, Steve Richards, Chris van der Drift

SILVER:

Graeme Smyth, Will Bamber, Nick Chester, Jaxon Evans, Daniel Gaunt, Andre Heimgartner, Jono Lester, John McIntyre, Richard Moore, Chris Pither, Paul Radisich, Jonny Reid, Glenn Smith, Matt Whittaker, Dominic Storey, Shaun Varney, Andrew Waite, Roger Wills

BRONZE:

Rick Armstrong, Andrew Bagnall, Kevin Bell, John De Veth, Andrew Fawcett, Sam Fillmore, Gene Rollinson