Greg Murphy

Greg Murphy
Greg Murphy during the 2022 Bathurst 1000
Greg Murphy
Born	Gregory David Murphy 23 8, 1972
Birthplace	New Zealand
Nationality	New Zealand
Occupation	Professional racing driver, television presenter
Known for	Four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000
Website	[http://www.murph.co.nz/ Official site]

Gregory David Murphy (born 23 August 1972), commonly known as Greg Murphy or by his nickname Murph, is a New Zealand professional racing driver who carved out a distinguished career in Australian touring car racing spanning more than two decades. He is best known as a four-time winner of the prestigious Bathurst 1000, one of the most celebrated endurance motor races in the Southern Hemisphere. Over the course of his career in the V8 Supercars Championship, Murphy accumulated 448 race starts, 28 wins, and 81 podium finishes, establishing himself as one of the most accomplished New Zealand-born drivers to compete in the series. Beyond the racetrack, Murphy became a recognisable media figure, joining Jeremy Clarkson and James May as a presenter on Top Gear Live during its inaugural international show in Auckland in 2009 and its return in 2010. His association with multiple racing teams — including stints with Holden Motorsport, Kelly Racing, Erebus Motorsport, and M3 Racing — and his transition into the V8 SuperTourer series in New Zealand reflected a long and varied motorsport career that earned him recognition as one of the standout figures in Australasian touring car racing.

Early Life

Gregory David Murphy was born on 23 August 1972 in New Zealand. Details of his early childhood and family background remain largely undocumented in public sources. Like many New Zealand racing drivers of his generation, Murphy developed an interest in motorsport at a young age. New Zealand has a strong tradition of producing competitive racing talent, and Murphy would go on to become one of the country's most prominent exports to the Australian touring car racing scene.

Murphy's early racing career in New Zealand was recognised by the national motorsport governing body. He was among the drivers to receive a Gold Star award from Motorsport New Zealand, an honour bestowed upon the country's top-performing racing drivers. This early recognition indicated the level of talent Murphy possessed before making the move across the Tasman Sea to compete in Australia's premier touring car championship.

Career

V8 Supercars Championship

Greg Murphy competed extensively in the V8 Supercars Championship (known at various points as the Shell Championship Series and later the Supercars Championship), which is the premier touring car racing series in Australia and one of the most high-profile motorsport competitions in the Southern Hemisphere. Over the course of his career in the championship, Murphy amassed a total of 448 race starts, recording 28 wins, 13 pole positions, 11 fastest laps, and 81 podium finishes. These statistics placed him among the more prolific competitors in the history of the championship, although he did not secure the overall championship title during his career, finishing with zero championship wins.

Murphy's career in the V8 Supercars spanned multiple teams and eras of the sport. He was associated with several of the championship's prominent racing organisations throughout his tenure, driving predominantly Holden Commodore machinery.

Bathurst 1000

Murphy's name became synonymous with the Bathurst 1000, the annual endurance race held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. The race is regarded as one of the most important events on the Australian motorsport calendar, and Murphy won it on four separate occasions, placing him among the most successful drivers in the event's history.

The Bathurst 1000 is a 161-lap race around the 6.213-kilometre Mount Panorama Circuit, one of the most demanding and iconic racing circuits in the world, featuring dramatic elevation changes, tight corners, and high-speed straights. Success at Bathurst requires not only raw speed but endurance, consistency, and strategic acumen, and Murphy demonstrated all of these qualities across his four victories.

The 2003 Bathurst 1000 and Lap Record

Perhaps the most celebrated moment of Murphy's career came during the 2003 Bathurst 1000. During qualifying for the event on 23 November 2003, Murphy set a lap time that became legendary in Australian motorsport. His qualifying lap at Mount Panorama set the benchmark for the circuit and became one of the most discussed and replayed moments in the history of V8 Supercars racing.

The lap, which has been widely viewed and shared via video footage, demonstrated Murphy's exceptional car control and commitment around the demanding circuit. The qualifying performance became known colloquially as "The Lap" among Australian and New Zealand motorsport fans, cementing Murphy's reputation as a Bathurst specialist. His ability to extract maximum performance from a car around the treacherous Mount Panorama circuit, with its blind crests, concrete walls, and dramatic elevation changes, was evident in the footage, which showed Murphy pushing the limits of adhesion at virtually every corner.

Holden Motorsport

During his career, Murphy was closely associated with the Holden brand, driving Holden Commodore vehicles in the V8 Supercars Championship. His connection to the Holden Motorsport programme was a significant part of his racing identity. Holden's rivalry with Ford was a central narrative of the V8 Supercars Championship, and Murphy was firmly established on the Holden side of this competitive divide throughout much of his career.

Kelly Racing

In a later phase of his V8 Supercars career, Murphy joined Kelly Racing, a team owned and operated by the racing Kelly brothers. As part of this move, Murphy entered into a sponsorship arrangement with Pepsi, competing as part of the Pepsi-liveried entry at Kelly Racing. The move to Kelly Racing represented a new chapter for Murphy, who brought his experience and Bathurst pedigree to the relatively young team.

Erebus Motorsport

Murphy was also associated with Erebus Motorsport during his V8 Supercars career. Erebus Motorsport was a team that entered the championship and provided Murphy with a further competitive platform in the later stages of his time in the series.

V8 SuperTourers

Following his extensive career in the Australian V8 Supercars Championship, Murphy transitioned to the V8 SuperTourer series, a New Zealand-based touring car championship. He competed in the V8 SuperTourers from 2012 to 2014 with M3 Racing, driving car number 51. In this series, Murphy achieved notable success, recording 157 race starts with the series. He won the championship in both 2013 and 2014, claiming the best finish of first place in both seasons. The return to racing in his home country allowed Murphy to continue competing at a high level while also raising the profile of the New Zealand-based series.

2022 Bathurst 1000 Return

Murphy made a return to the Bathurst 1000, the event most closely associated with his career, in 2022. This return was a notable moment, as it brought one of the most celebrated Bathurst competitors back to Mount Panorama and reconnected him with the event's fanbase.

Television and Media Career

Beyond his racing exploits, Murphy developed a significant media presence, particularly in New Zealand and Australia. His most high-profile television appearance came when he joined Jeremy Clarkson and James May as a presenter on Top Gear Live, the live touring version of the popular British motoring programme Top Gear. The show held its first international performance at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland from 12 to 15 February 2009, and Murphy served as a local co-presenter for the New Zealand audience. He reprised this role when Top Gear Live returned to New Zealand in 2010.

Murphy's involvement in Top Gear Live reflected his status as the most recognisable racing driver in New Zealand and his ability to communicate with a broad audience. His charismatic personality and deep knowledge of motorsport made him a natural fit for the entertainment-focused live show format. Murphy also became involved in motorsport commentary and analysis, contributing to television coverage of racing events and serving as a media figure in the Australasian motorsport community.

Personal Life

Greg Murphy has maintained a public profile primarily through his motorsport career and media appearances. He is based in New Zealand and has been closely associated with the country's motorsport community throughout his career. His official website, murph.co.nz, serves as a platform for information about his racing career and public engagements.

Murphy's nickname "Murph" has become widely used in motorsport circles and by the New Zealand public. His four Bathurst 1000 victories gave him a level of sporting celebrity in both New Zealand and Australia that extended well beyond the core motorsport audience.

Recognition

Murphy's four victories at the Bathurst 1000 placed him among the most successful drivers in the history of the event. The Bathurst 1000 is one of the most prestigious motor races in the Southern Hemisphere, and Murphy's record at the event ensured his place in its history.

In New Zealand, Murphy received the Motorsport New Zealand Gold Star, which recognises the country's premier racing drivers. This award confirmed his standing as one of New Zealand's leading motorsport competitors during his active career.

His lap record at Bathurst became one of the most iconic individual performances in Australian motorsport history. The lap has been extensively shared and discussed in motorsport media, and it contributed significantly to Murphy's reputation as a Mount Panorama specialist.

Murphy's dual championship wins in the V8 SuperTourers series in 2013 and 2014 further added to his competitive record, demonstrating that his racing ability extended beyond the single event of Bathurst to sustained championship-level performance.

His selection as a co-presenter for Top Gear Live alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May — two of the most prominent motoring television presenters in the world — reflected the esteem in which he was held within the broader motoring and entertainment community.

Legacy

Greg Murphy's legacy in Australasian motorsport rests primarily on his exceptional record at the Bathurst 1000 and his sustained competitiveness across more than two decades of professional racing. With four Bathurst 1000 victories, 448 V8 Supercars Championship race starts, 28 wins, and 81 podium finishes, his statistical record places him among the significant figures in the history of Australian touring car racing.

As a New Zealander competing in what is primarily an Australian racing series, Murphy helped to strengthen the cross-Tasman motorsport connection and demonstrated that New Zealand drivers could compete at the highest level of Australian touring car racing. His success inspired subsequent generations of New Zealand drivers to pursue careers in the V8 Supercars Championship and other Australian-based series.

The qualifying lap Murphy set at Bathurst in 2003 transcended the sport itself, becoming a cultural touchstone for motorsport fans in Australia and New Zealand. The lap has been shared millions of times via video platforms and is frequently cited in discussions of the greatest individual performances in the history of Mount Panorama.

Murphy's transition from racing driver to media personality and commentator ensured that his influence on Australasian motorsport continued beyond his active competitive career. His involvement in Top Gear Live and motorsport broadcasting brought the sport to a wider audience and helped maintain public interest in touring car racing in New Zealand.

His championship successes in the V8 SuperTourer series in 2013 and 2014 demonstrated his competitiveness even in the later stages of his career, and his return to Bathurst in 2022 confirmed the enduring connection between Murphy and the event that defined his racing career.