Isaac Taylor, an apprentice at Aotea Electric Wairarapa, has capped off a remarkable motorsport season by claiming the 2026 New Zealand Sidecar Championship alongside his father and co-rider Spike Taylor.
The pair have competed across the country, taking on circuits in Feilding, Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui, Ruapuna in Christchurch, Hampton Downs, Tāupo and the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill. This was the first season Aotea Electric Wairarapa has taken on a motorsport sponsorship, backing one of their own apprentices.
The Suzuki International Series got off to a rocky start. A mechanical failure during Round 1 practice ended their weekend early, but after long nights rebuilding in the shed, the team returned to claim three third-place finishes at Round 2 and a third overall at the Cemetery Circuit.
The NZSBK Championship brought even more incredible results. Spike Team Racing won two of three races in the opening round, including Race 1, where they led from start to finish by 26 seconds. They kept the momentum going into Round 3, finishing 1st overall despite three broken throttle cables.
The championship win also comes with some notable history. Isaac and Spike are the first father-and-son duo to win a New Zealand Sidecar title. For Spike, it's his fifth national championship, which puts him third on the all-time list of New Zealand sidecar champions. The Aotea Electric Wairarapa / Kiwibike Insurance machine also found the podium ten times across the season.
Congratulations Spike Team Racing!
