Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe champion Brendon Leitch is hoping he can fast-track Matt Day’s progression with the invaluable lessons he’s learned over the past decade.
Leitch will be Day’s driver coach at the first round of New Zealand’s South Island Endurance Series at Ruapuna on September 19-20 where the 16-year-old will make his first start in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3.
Leitch, now 29, began his career in Formula Ford before spending several summers racing in the Toyota Racing Series (now Formula Regional Oceania Trophy).
After making his GT3 racing debut in North Island Endurance Series in 2018, Leitch committed himself to the GT pathway and in 2019 joined the Lamborghini ladder in Super Trofeo.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, he enjoyed international success in GT racing across Asia and Europe, eventually winning the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe title in 2023.
His career has grown exponentially in GT racing since, with a portfolio of clients all keen to leverage Leitch’s knowledge of GT3 machinery.
The Sydney-based driver has driven a variety of GT3 cars from Lamborghini, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Aston Martin – winning in almost all of them.
For Leitch, taking on a mentor role with Day is something he feels strongly about.
“When I started out racing, I really didn’t have anyone other than my family around me to lean on for advice. My older brother Damon was there, but he was only a couple of years ahead of me and on a similar path,” Leitch explained.
“I feel like the first few years of my career were really strong considering we were doing it as a family and with a small team, but really the turning point was when I got a coach.
“Just having someone there who knows the intricate details of the cars and the circuits is invaluable, and you really don’t know what you don’t know until someone like that comes along.
“When you’re looking for tenths and hundredths of a second to get an advantage over your rivals, it all counts.
“You really cannot underestimate how important a coach is when you’re just starting out, and motor racing is no different to any other sport. You can be naturally talented or gifted, but it’s about honing your skills to make yourself the best athlete you can be.”
Leitch has a special connection to Day, whose family has been a supporter of his career since he started. Dayle ITM has donned Letich’s helmet for more than a decade and featured on almost all of the cars he’s raced.
Day will race with Leitch’s brother Damon at Ruapuna in the three-hour feature before Brendon takes the reins at Teretonga and Highlands.
“Working with Matt is going to be a lot of fun. He’s not done a lot other than Toyota 86, some BMW racing and countless laps on iRacing, so getting in the Lamborghini for the first time will be a bit like drinking from a fire hose,” said Leitch.
“When you go racing, obviously you want to win, but there are really no huge expectations. For me, I’m keen to see how he progresses through practice, qualifying, and the race.
“The Lamborghini will be unlike anything he’s driven before. It’s confidence-inspiring but it punishes you if you aren’t nice to it. There’s no substitute for knowledge, and if I can pass on what I know about the car to Matt, then hopefully he’ll get up to speed pretty quickly.
“It’s amazing that he’s only 16 and already getting in one of these cars. I was only just out of Formula Ford at that age, but I know that when I started I would have benefited massively from just having someone there to guide me through the process.”
The first three-hour race of the South Island Endurance Series takes place on Saturday, September 20.
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