Supercars

Van Der Drift linked to KGR Bathurst seat

Chris van der Drift has been linked to the potentially vacant seat at Kelly Grove Racing for the Bathurst 1000.

Andrew van Leeuwen

Edited: Nov 11, 2021, 11:23 AM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Chris van der Drift, Tasman Motorsports Group

The Kiwi is thought to currently be the leading option for the team should David Reynolds not be able to return for the Bathurst 1000.

Should that be the case, van der Drift would partner Luke Youlden in the team's Penrite Mustang.

Reynolds is currently sidelined due to his incomplete COVID-19 vaccination coverage, the Bathurst winner benched when an exemption used to enter New South Wales was investigated and then rejected by health officials.

He has since had his first dose of the vaccine in a bid to return for the Great Race, where double vaccination will continue to be a requirement of entering the circuit precinct.

He is also likely to need clearance from NSW Health and his own team to return following the exemption mishap.

A Reynolds return is still believed to be Plan A, with van der Drift as the back-up option.

New Zealand-based Van der Drift is thought to have received a spot in NZ's Managed Isolation and Quarantine several days ago after being approached about the drive from the Grove family.

MIQ allocation is the same issue that currently has the Boost Mobile-backed wildcard for Greg Murphy and Richie Stanaway hanging in the balance.

Van der Drift has one Bathurst 1000 start to his name (with Erebus in 2016) and four Bathurst 12 Hour starts.

Motorsport.com understands the team also approached overseas-based Kiwi Jaxon Evans about the drive but he was unable to make the trip to Australia.

Youlden will continue to drive the #26 in Sydney this weekend before its expected he'll make way for Matt Campbell for the final round of the Sydney swing.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Deadline set for Murphy/Stanaway wildcard

Next article Paddle shift in Supercars Gen3 Mustang prototype

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Cadillac’s F1 brakes are still a problem: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Singapore GP

9 min

Cadillac’s F1 brakes are still a problem: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’

Why Jorge Martín was not penalised for jump start in Indonesia

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Indonesian GP

58 min

Why Jorge Martín was not penalised for jump start in Indonesia

Palou pushes IndyCar’s IR-28 chassis to the limit in rugged Sebring test

IndyCar

Indy IndyCar 1 h

Palou pushes IndyCar’s IR-28 chassis to the limit in rugged Sebring test

Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Singapore GP

1 h

Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts