Frustration for Payne over ill-fated Grand Prix

Matt Payne has lamented a missed opportunity to convert to race results in Melbourne, with the Penrite Racing driver losing ground in the championship.

Payne finished ninth, 11th and 10th in the three races at the Grand Prix, leaving him 11th for the round and outscored to the tune of 105 points by Will Brown.

In contrast, the New Zealander qualified sixth, 17th, third and sixth.

After opening his weekend with a top 10, Payne had worked his way from 17th in the second race, only to suffer a power steering issue.

The frustration boiled over in the third race after being turned around in a clash with Cooper Murray and Will Davison, dumping Payne from third off the line to 24th and last. Somehow, Payne made a stunning recovery, crossing the line 10th.

The finale was abandoned due to heavy rain, leaving Payne unable to make an impression from sixth.

From a weekend of promise in qualifying Payne had nothing to show for it in the races, with the Aucklander now 74 points above the Finals cut-line.

However, the 22-year-old was at least happy to walk away with a straight car amid a round of chaotic racing.

“Overall, it was probably a disappointing weekend for us in the #19,” Payne said.

“We had a really good run in the first race, but then we had some power steering dramas in the second race. In the third, we were turned around and had to come back through the pack.

“The results were what we could get as the races played out, but a little disappointing that we didn’t get to show the potential with the speed that we had. I thought we were quite fast.

“The good news is that we have a straight car, and we’ll move onto Taupō.”

The 2025 Repco Supercars Championship will resume in New Zealand at the ITM Taupō Super 440 on April 11-13. Tickets for the event are on sale now.