Brendon Leitch finally got a full day behind the wheel of Team Kiwi Racing's Holden ZB Commodore at Winton Motor Raceway on Wednesday. The New Zealander will compete in the Supercars feeder series at this year's Repco Bathurst 1000 with the New Zealand-based team. This opportunity marks a significant step for Leitch, who has primarily raced in single-seaters and GT cars.
"I'm glad to finally get a full day of driving the Team Kiwi Racing car under my belt," said Leitch. "We went through a lot of items on Wednesday, with a particular focus on brake modulation, heel-and-toe, and standing starts."
Leitch admitted he had done extensive preparation, including iRacing simulation. "I've done a lot of studying in the lead-up to the test and countless laps on iRacing just playing with settings and getting a feel for things," he added. "I did my first standing start in about five years, which went well. I'm glad I haven't forgotten how to get a car off the start line! I guess it's a bit like riding a bike. All those years in the Toyota Racing Series have come in handy."
Leitch was joined at the test by Image Racing's Terry Wyhoon and Brad Jones Racing co-driver Jordan Boys. Boys provided a valuable benchmark. "I'm really happy with how everything went and the team is too," said Leitch. "It was good to have Jordan to have a reference point. He's obviously got a lot of experience in these cars and a few Super2 Series race wins under his belt, so to be matching him is a big confidence boost."
Leitch will have a busy schedule leading up to Bathurst. He will start with the Suzuka 1000km on September 11-13 in a Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. Then he returns for GT World Challenge Australia at Sydney Motorsport Park in Tigani Motorsport's Mercedes-AMG GT3 on September 18-20. His five-week schedule continues with GT Open at Monza in a Leipert Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan, before returning to GT World Challenge Asia in Beijing with the Harmony Ferrari. The Bathurst weekend is the final leg on October 7-10, though Leitch will only be in action from Thursday to Saturday.
"I've grown up watching the Bathurst 1000, so to race a Supercar there is going to be a big bucket list item ticked," said Leitch. "Okay, sure, we're not in the big dance, but even to be the curtain raiser to the main event is going to be a massive accomplishment. The feedback I've gotten since being announced to race for Team Kiwi Racing has been incredible, especially from everyone back home in New Zealand, but even from other drivers. I know there will be a lot of eyes on me being a bit of a wildcard. The biggest thing for me though is I just want to have fun and really enjoy myself. This is an amazing opportunity, and I'm very grateful to David John and the Team Kiwi Racing supporters for making this happen. There's no pressure, but I want to perform. That's why we go racing."
With thorough preparation and full support, Leitch is ready for the challenge at Bathurst. He will also bring experience from various GT series to enhance his performance in the Supercar. Brendon Leitch is determined to give his best and enjoy every moment at the legendary Mount Panorama circuit.
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