Hunt return to throw cat among the pigeons
Four-time national champion and reigning champ Ben Hunt is a surprise entry for the upcoming Vertex Lubricants International Rally of Whangarei.
The proven winner could also find himself having a big say in the 2026 championship battle, even without having a hope of winning himself.
Hunt will pilot the Force Motorsport Mazda AP4 car that Andrew Hawkeswood drove to the 2017 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship.
But while his entry will be a boost for the event and for rally fans, the moves gives the Force Motorsport team a rear gunner as such for title hope Jack Hawkeswood.
Hawkeswood Jr trails Jack Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2) by just one point heading into the final two rounds of the tightly-fought 2026 championship.
But with Stokes’ crew having a two-car line-up, with two-time NZRC rally winner Robbie Stokes in an identical Skoda to his brother, they have had a potential tactical advantage, where Robbie could take points away from Hawkeswood.
In fact, at the last round at Drive Safe NZ Rally Hawke’s Bay, Robbie stokes had been set to hand second place to his brother but for a timing issue preventing the team from administering team orders.
Now Force Motorsport in effect have the same luxury.
Hunt could well be subjected to team orders, to try and give Hawkeswood the best possible chance at title success.
It remains to be seen whether the AP4 car is a match for the more modern Rally 2 cars but we at least know the driver has the ability to mix it at the front over the final two rounds.
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