Matthew Payne

New Zealand young gun Matthew Payne had been touted as the next big thing out of New Zealand. He delivered on that promise in spades in 2025.

Payne won five races last year, including a stunning win at the Repco Bathurst 1000 alongside Garth Tander, and a dominant win in the last race of the season in Adelaide.

Despite being Broc Feeney's closest rival for most of the year, a costly collision with Cam Waters in the Semi Final at Sandown cost him a chance at the title in the bp Adelaide Grand Final.

Payne made his main game debut in 2023 with Penrite Racing, and a year of promise ended with a crushing victory in Adelaide. He won again in Townsville in 2024, claiming his maiden pole, and ended up sixth overall.

In 2022, he challenged for the Super2 title, and also made his Great Race debut alongside Lee Holdsworth.

It has been a rapid rise for Payne, who competed in the 2021 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season.

The Auckland teenager is a multiple karting champion, including the KZ2 National Sprint Championship. He also enjoyed success overseas before focusing on circuit racing.

Payne won the 2021 Toyota Racing Series and finished third in the New Zealand Grand Prix behind Shane van Gisbergen.

He was later confirmed as the first recipient of the Team Porsche NZ scholarship under the tutelage of Earl Bamber.