16-Year-Old Basso Stuns Experienced Field with Double Victory
MEDIA RELEASE
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria | September 2026
Mornington Peninsula teenager Mathew Basso has delivered the biggest result of his young car-racing career, claiming two race victories and the overall round win in the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series at The Bend – in just his first year racing cars.
At just 16 years old and still completing Year 10 at Woodleigh School, Mathew Basso is taking on seasoned Aussie Racing Cars competitors and drivers with experience across some of Australia’s higher-level racing categories, including Super2 and Porsche competition.
At The Bend, the rookie was not simply keeping pace with them – he was racing them for wins.
Driving the #81 Click for Health Mustang for Corish Motorsport, Mathew claimed his maiden Aussie Racing Cars race victory, followed it with a second race win, and left South Australia as both the Overall Round Winner and Rookie Round Winner.
The breakthrough came during the AirTouch 500 at The Bend Supercars event and marks a major milestone in Mathew’s first season of national car racing.
“It was an unbelievable weekend and definitely one I’ll never forget”, Mathew said.
“Getting my first win was such a great feeling, but then to win again and come away with the overall round and Rookie Round trophies was pretty special.”
“There are some seriously experienced drivers in this category, including drivers who have competed in higher categories, so as a rookie I’ve just tried to learn as much as I can every time I get in the car.”
“To now know we can race with them at the front and win gives me a lot of confidence, but I also know I’ve still got so much to learn.”
A breakthrough that had been building
The result at The Bend capped the progress Mathew had shown throughout his rookie Aussie Racing Cars campaign.
At his debut at Symmons Plains in Tasmania, limited running and car issues made for a difficult introduction to the category. Despite this, Mathew charged from P19 to P3 in the final race.
At Townsville, he again started the final race from P19 and finished P3, gaining 16 positions.
At Queensland Raceway, Mathew qualified P6 and added another podium, demonstrating that he was increasingly capable of running with the leading group.
Then came The Bend.
Mathew opened the weekend with his first Aussie Racing Cars victory, emerging from the close slipstream battle at the front to take the chequered flag. He continued to feature among the leaders and finished second in Race 3 after leading much of the race.
The final race produced a classic Aussie Racing Cars battle. With eight cars fighting for victory across the closing laps, Mathew held his nerve under enormous pressure to take the chequered flag for a second time. That victory secured the overall round win and Rookie Round win.
“We’ve had moments throughout the year where I felt we had the speed, but we hadn’t been able to put the whole weekend together”, Mathew said.
“At The Bend it finally came together.”
“The racing was incredibly close, and you couldn’t afford to make a mistake. To be battling experienced drivers at the front and come away with two wins and the round was something I’ll always remember.”
Taking on experienced competition at just 16
Mathew’s breakthrough is particularly significant given the calibre of competition he has faced during his first Aussie Racing Cars season. The category combines established Aussie Racing Cars competitors with talented young drivers and racers who bring experience from national-level categories, including Super2 and Porsche competition.
For Mathew, that has meant learning his craft while racing wheel-to-wheel against competitors with significantly more car-racing experience.
From karting to international Formula Ford and a national race winner
Mathew only began his first full season of car racing in 2026.
After years of karting – where his achievements included becoming a Victorian Kart Champion, Golden Power Series Champion and multiple Australasian Kart Title winner – Mathew began 2026 competing internationally in the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship.
Again entering as a rookie, he finished fifth overall in the championship and secured his first international podium.
He then returned to Australia to step into the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series with Corish Motorsport, competing nationally at major Supercars events. In the space of a single season, the Mornington Peninsula teenager has gone from learning the fundamentals of racing cars to becoming an Aussie Racing Cars race winner and overall round winner.
“This whole year has been a massive learning curve”, Mathew said.
“Formula Ford in New Zealand was my introduction to racing cars, and then Aussie Racing Cars was another completely different challenge.”
“I’m really grateful to Corish Motorsport and everyone who has helped me make that transition. There’s been a huge amount to learn in a very short time, and I’m loving every minute of it.”
Still a Year 10 student
Away from the racetrack, Mathew remains a Year 10 student at Woodleigh School on the Mornington Peninsula. His year involves balancing interstate racing and travel with school commitments, fitness and reaction training, simulator work and sponsor commitments.
He also spends time coaching younger kart racers, passing on the experience he has accumulated during his own years in the sport. Woodleigh has supported Mathew in balancing his education with the demands of national motorsport, and the school is proudly represented on his race suit.
“School is really important to me, and I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from Woodleigh and my teachers”, Mathew said.
“There’s a lot to balance, particularly when we’re travelling interstate to race, but I want to make sure I’m putting the work in both on and off the track.”
Mornington Peninsula support behind the number 81
Despite racing around Australia, Mathew’s program retains strong ties to his home on the Mornington Peninsula.
Tyrepower Mornington recently joined Mathew as a major local partner for the closing rounds of the season, alongside new partner Success Web Marketing. Major partner Click for Health has played a significant role in supporting Mathew’s move into Aussie Racing Cars, with the company featuring prominently on the #81 Corish Motorsport Mustang.
Mathew also receives support from Morris Finance, Castrol Australia, NGK Australia and UNIT, alongside other businesses and brands contributing to different areas of his racing, training and development.
“Motorsport isn’t something you can do by yourself”, Mathew said.
“I’m incredibly grateful to every business and person who supports me. Having businesses from our own local community get behind the journey makes it even more special.”
The dream of professional motorsport
While The Bend represents an important milestone, Mathew sees it as another step in a much longer journey. His ambition is to continue developing through Australia’s motorsport pathway and ultimately establish a career as a professional racing driver, with Supercars or GT racing among his long-term goals.
“Winning at The Bend is a big milestone for me, but I’m still right at the beginning, Mathew said.”
“My goal is to become a professional driver. I know how difficult that is and how much work is ahead, so for now it’s about learning, improving and making the most of every opportunity I get.”
One final challenge at the Gold Coast
There is now one final challenge remaining in Mathew’s rookie Aussie Racing Cars season – and it comes on one of Australian motorsport’s biggest stages.
The Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series heads to the Gold Coast 500 at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit from 23-25 October 2026. The concrete-lined street circuit will be another completely new experience for Mathew.
But this time, the 16-year-old arrives not simply as a rookie. He arrives as an Aussie Racing Cars race winner, double winner and overall round winner.
“The Gold Coast is going to be massive”, Mathew said.
“It’s another circuit I’ve never raced before, and I know it will be a completely different challenge.”
“The Bend has given us confidence, but we’re not taking anything for granted. I want to prepare as well as I can, keep learning and hopefully put ourselves in a position to fight at the front again.”
National motorsport coverage
Mathew’s breakthrough weekend attracted national motorsport attention, with Supercars, Motorsport Australia, Auto Action, and Speedcafe reporting his performance. His drive was also highly praised and discussed within the motorsport podcast community.
- Supercars – Official The Bend Results
- Motorsport Australia – The Bend Report
- Auto Action – The Bend Support Results
- Speedcafe – The Bend Sunday Support Category Report
- Motorsport Podcast – Post-The Bend Discussion – scroll to the 6.40 minute mark
Mathew Basso quick facts
| Age | 16 |
| Home | Mornington Peninsula, Victoria |
| School | Woodleigh School – Year 10 |
| Team | Corish Motorsport |
| Car | #81 Click for Health Mustang |
| Category | Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series |
| 2026 | First full season racing cars and Aussie Racing Cars rookie |
| The Bend | Two race wins | Overall Round Winner | Rookie Round Winner |
| NZ Formula Ford | 5th overall | Rookie | First international podium |
| Karting | Victorian Champion | Golden Power Series Champion | Multiple Australasian Kart Title winner |
| Next | Gold Coast 500 – Surfers Paradise | 23-25 October 2026 |
| Career ambition | Professional Supercars or GT driver |
Media and interviews
High-resolution race, podium and lifestyle photographs are available for publication. Mathew is also available for interviews about his breakthrough rookie season, his rapid transition from karting to cars, competing against experienced national-level drivers, and his ambitions to progress through Australian motorsport.
