National and international motorsport talent is on show at Hampton Downs this weekend with 20 drivers vying for the New Zealand Grand Prix title.

Eight Kiwis will start on the grid tomorrow afternoon as well as two females, breaking barriers on and off the track.

After a Covid-enforced break last year, the New Zealand Grand Prix has returned with some high stakes as the event doubles as the penultimate round of the Toyota Racing Series.

Kiwi Callum Hedge is currently second in the championship, six points behind Austria’s Charlie Wurz entering the weekend, and hopes he can produce something special this weekend.

“It means a lot being a Kiwi racing in an international championship that's based at home, it's really cool,” Hedge told 1News.

“Most of the rounds I've had all my friends and family being able to be there so it's really cool to race at home on home soil and I'll be trying my hardest to win the motor cup this weekend.”

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Hedge took a three-point series lead over Wurz after claiming third in race one today while the podium was topped by fellow Kiwi Kaleb Ngatoa.

The race also featured two female drivers on the start line for the first time since 2007 with American Chloe Chambers and Kiwi Breanna Morris out to show they're not taking a back seat.

“I think it's an amazing thing to be part of the New Zealand Grand Prix,” Morris said.

“It's amazing to have the women on the grid so I'm super excited.”