# 2003 New Zealand Grand Prix

The 2003 New Zealand Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Teretonga Park, near Invercargill on 19 January 2003. It was the 48th New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Formula Ford cars.
The event was dominated by Jonny Reid who completed a clean sweep of pole position, fastest lap and race win. Chris Pither and Daniel Gaunt rounded out the podium.

## Race report

As with the previous years event, the Grand Prix was held over two 20-lap segments. This was a measure implemented as the Formula Ford fuel tank did not have the capacity to negotiate the full 40 laps. Thus once the 20th lap was completed, all cars were brought into the pitlane for refuelling before resuming once again under a safety car restart.
Reid dominated proceedings and led the entire race distance. However, the second half of the race was beset with incidents that saw the safety car redeployed over again. Veteran Ken Smith was livid with the driving standards during the race and let know his feelings to the offenders. Reid took the overall race win with Pither in second and Gaunt in third.

## Classification
### Qualifying

| Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Q1 | Q2 | Grid |
| 1 | 9 | Jonny Reid | Van Diemen RF94 | 1:02.977 | 1:03.279 | 1 |
| 2 | 22 | Chris Pither | Spectrum 001 | 1:03.453 | 1:03.608 | 2 |
| 3 | 28 | Nelson Hartley | Stealth RF94 Evo 2 | 1:03.566 | 1:03.880 | 3 |
| 4 | 47 | Daniel Gaunt | Van Diemen Stealth | 1:03.661 | 1:03.925 | 4 |
| 5 | 2 | Simon Richards | Van Diemen RF02 | 1:03.059 | 1:03.992 | 5 |
| 6 | 66 | Bryce Washington | Stealth Ford | 1:03.736 | 1:04.194 | 6 |
| 7 | 34 | Michael Shepherd | Van Diemen Stealth | 1:03.737 | 1:04.293 | 7 |
| 8 | 11 | Ken Smith | Van Diemen Stealth | 1:03.417 | 1:04.310 | 8 |
| 9 | 4 | Andrew Higgins | Van Diemen RF94 | 1:03.728 | 1:04.798 | 9 |
| 10 | 7 | Simon Gamble | Van Diemen RF90 | 1:03.241 | 1:05.148 | 10 |
| 11 | 39 | Ryan Millen | Van Diemen | 1:03.843 | | 11 |
| 12 | 40 | Bruce Henley | Van Diemen RF92 | 1:04.448 | | 12 |
| 13 | 26 | Tim Edgell | Van Diemen RF03 | 1:04.586 | | 13 |
| 14 | 55 | Christina Orr | Stealth Ford RF94 | 1:04.633 | | 14 |
| 15 | 14 | Richard Reid | Van Diemen RF92 | 1:04.678 | | 15 |
| 16 | 88 | Mathew Radisich | Spectrum 010 | 1:04.992 | | 16 |
| 17 | 53 | Robert Toshach | Swift FB89 | 1:05.148 | | 17 |
| 18 | 70 | Jayant Singh | Van Diemen RF92 | 1:05.151 | | 18 |
| 19 | 44 | Noel Atley | Crossle 55F | 1:05.514 | | 19 |
| 20 | 32 | Gary Love | Van Diemen RF92 | 1:05.671 | | 20 |
| 21 | 25 | Stan Redmond | Van Diemen RF92 | 1:05.785 | | 21 |
| 22 | 99 | Marc Doran | Van Diemen RF94 | 1:05.938 | | 22 |
| 23 | 77 | Steve Edwards | Swift FB88 | 1:06.112 | | 23 |
| 24 | 42 | Tony Graham | Swift SC92F | 1:06.469 | | 24 |
| 25 | 27 | Wayne Colville | Van Diemen RF81 | 1:06.891 | | 25 |
| 26 | 85 | Carmen Doran | Rae 86F | 1:07.108 | | 26 |
| 27 | 37 | Stephen Heffernan | Van Diemen RF87 | 1:08.151 | | 27 |
| 28 | 45 | Jason Greer | Van Diemen RF86 | 1:08.505 | | 28 |
| 29 | 75 | Munro Tall | Swift FB4 | 1:08.619 | | 29 |
| 30 | 71 | Robin Judkins | Lola 644 E | 1:08.688 | | 30 |
| 31 | 17 | Gordon McIntyre | Swift FB91 | 1:09.556 | | 31 |
| Source(s): |||||||

### Race

| Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Laps | Time | Grid |
| 1 | 9 | Jonny Reid | Van Diemen RF94 | 40 | 01hr 00min 16.078sec | 1 |
| 2 | 22 | Chris Pither | Spectrum 010 | 40 | + 2.163 s | 2 |
| 3 | 47 | Daniel Gaunt | Van Diemen Stealth | 40 | + 3.059 s | 4 |
| 4 | 28 | Nelson Hartley | Stealth RF94 Evo 2 | 40 | + 9.698 s | 3 |
| 5 | 7 | Simon Gamble | Van Diemen RF90 | 40 | + 12.884 s | 10 |
| 6 | 2 | Simon Richards | Van Diemen RF02 | 40 | + 13.918 s | 5 |
| 7 | 34 | Michael Shepherd | Van Diemen RF94 | 40 | + 14.777 s | 7 |
| 8 | 55 | Christina Orr | Stealth Ford RF94 | 40 | + 14.816 s | 14 |
| 9 | 14 | Richard Reid | Van Diemen RF92 | 40 | + 15.618 s | 15 |
| 10 | 26 | Tim Edgell | Van Diemen RF03 | 40 | + 21.954 s | 13 |
| 11 | 39 | Ryan Millen | Van Diemen | 40 | + 23.297 s | 11 |
| 12 | 53 | Robert Toshasch | Swift FB89 | 40 | + 27.555 s | 17 |
| 13 | 88 | Mathew Radisich | Spectrum 010 | 40 | + 27.646 s | 16 |
| 14 | 4 | Andrew Higgins | Van Diemen RF94 | 40 | + 29.364 s | 9 |
| 15 | 32 | Gary Love | Van Diemen RF92 | 40 | + 31.664 s | 20 |
| 16 | 66 | Bryce Washington | Stealth Ford | 39 | + 1 lap | 6 |
| 17 | 44 | Noel Atley | Crossle 55F | 39 | + 1 lap | 19 |
| 18 | 99 | Marc Doran | Van Diemen RF94 | 39 | + 1 lap | 22 |
| 19 | 77 | Steve Edwards | Swift FB88 | 39 | + 1 lap | 23 |
| 20 | 27 | Wayne Colville | Van Diemen RF92 | 39 | + 1 lap | 25 |
| 21 | 17 | Gordon McIntyre | Swift FB91 | 38 | + 2 laps | 31 |
| 22 | 85 | Carmen Doran | Rae 86F | 38 | + 2 laps | 26 |
| 23 | 71 | Robin Judkins | Lola 644 E | 38 | + 2 laps | 30 |
| 24 | 45 | Jason Greer | Van Diemen RF86 | 37 | + 3 laps | 28 |
| Ret | 11 | Ken Smith | Van Diemen Stealth | 35 | Retired | 8 |
| Ret | 40 | Bruce Henley | Van Diemen RF92 | 35 | Retired | 12 |
| Ret | 37 | Stephen Heffernan | Van Diemen RF87 | 33 | Retired | 27 |
| Ret | 25 | Stan Redmond | Van Diemen RF92 | 32 | Retired | 21 |
| Ret | 75 | Munro Tall | Swift FB4 | 15 | Retired | 29 |
| DNS | 42 | Tony Graham | Swift SC92F | | Did Not Start | |
| DNS | 49 | Grant Campbell | Swift SC92F | | Did Not Start | |
| DNS | 70 | Jayant Singh | Van Diemen RF92 | | Did Not Start | |
| Source(s): |||||||