Lee Holdsworth

Lee Holdsworth is an Australian racing driver who competes in the Supercars Championship, recording more than 420 starts until 2019 and scoring three wins.

He made a debut in Supercars in 2004, starting to race full-time in 2006. His best result in the championship was the seventh place in 2010. At Bathurst 1000, he reached a podium in 2009, finishing in the third place.

Lee Holdsworth

Supercars debut with Robert Smith Racing in 2004

Born in February 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, Lee Holdsworth spent few years in karting competitions and then switched to car racing in 2001, entering the Australian Commodore Cup National Series. After finishing third in 2003 Commodore Cup, Holdsworth graduated to Supercars in 2004.

He spent a full season in the Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series, driving the #72 Holden VX Commodore for Robert Smith Racing. He won at Eastern Creek Raceway and added two more podiums on his account, finishing 13th in the points.

In2004, Holdsworth also made a debut in the V8 Supercar Championship with the same team, serving as an endurance co-driver to Philip Scifleet at Sandown 500 and to Mark Noske at Bathurst 1000. He also raced alone in the #14 Holden VY Commodore at Eastern Creek.

Joining Garry Rogers Motorsport in 2005

In 2005, Holdsworth stayed with Robert Smith in V8 development series, again scoring one victory and finishing 13th. He also competed in the Australian Formula Ford Championship, finishing 11th with one podium.

In the V8 Supercars Championship, he joined Garry Rogers Motorsport in endurance races, partnering Phillip Scifleet in the #33 Holden VZ Commodore at Sandown (20th) and Bathurst (DNF) but also driving along the #34 Holden at Phillip Island.

2006 – the first full season in the V8 Supercars Championship

In 2006 V8 Supercars Championship season, Holdsworth became a full-time driver in the #33 Holden VZ Commodore. The highlight of the season was his maiden podium at Oran Park Raceway, where he finished third.

In the endurance races, Holdsworth co-driver was Dean Canto. They finished sixth at Sandown 500 and 17th at Bathurst 1000. At the end of the season, Holdsworth was 20th in the points.

Lee Holdsworth celebrates his maiden Supercars victory

Maiden V8 Supercars victory at Oran Park

In 2007, Holdsworth scored his best result at Oran Park again. This time, he was a race winner in the third race of the weekend, scoring his maiden V8SC victory in a new Holden VE Commodore. In the rest of the season, he reached no more podiums and finished 15th in the championship points.

In endurance races, Holdsworth's partner was Dean Canto again. They were fifth at Sandown and retired after an accident at Bathurst 1000.

Lee Holdsworth celebrates a victory at Homebush

One more Supercar win with GRM Holden at Homebush

Lee Holdsworth stayed four more seasons in Garry Rogers Motorsport's #33 Holden.  In 2008, he was on a podium three times, finishing 11th in the points. In 2009, he repeated three podiums to finish 10th. In 2010, he scored his second Supercars win at Homebush Street Circuit in Sydney, finishing 7th in the championship points. Next year, he was eighth after scoring three podiums.

During a GRM period, Holdsworth also scored his best result at Bathurst 1000, finishing in the third place together with Michael Caruso in 2009. In other attempts between 2008 and 2011, his partners were Caruso in 2008 (DNF), David Besnard in 2010 (7th) and Greg Ritter in 2011 (17th).

Lee Holdsworth spent six seasons in the #33 Holden

Racing alongside brother and father at Bathurst 12 Hour

While racing with GRM in the Supercars Championship, Holdsworth occasionally appeared in other competitions. In 2008, he returned as a guest to Commodore Cup and won all three races he competed.

In 2008, he also made a debut at Bathurst 12 Hour in a Holden Commodore, sharing a car with his brother Brett Holdsworth and Steve Briffa. They didn't finish the race. Lee Holdsworth returned to Bathurst 12 Hour in 2009, driving a Holden Astra for Paul Morris Motorsport. He didn't finish the race again. This time, his co-drivers were both his brother Brett and father Glen.

Glen Holdsworth and Lee Holdsworth

Moving to Stone Brothers Racing in 2012

After six years with Garry Rogers, Holdsworth moved to Stone Brothers Racing for the 2012 V8 Supercars Championship. He was driving the #4 Ford FG Falcon, finishing best in the third place at Winton Motor Raceway. At the end of the season, he was 8th in the points.

Craig Baird was Holdsworth's new endurance co-driver in 2012. They finished 8th at Bathurst 1000.

Lee Holdsworth was driving for Erebus Motorsport in 013 and 2014

Two seasons and one victory in a Mercedes

Ahead of 2013 season, the team was bought by Erebus Motorsport. A new team retained Holdsworth in the #4 car but it was a Mercedes -Benz E63 AMG. It was the struggling first season in a Mercedes and Holdsworth finished 20th in the points. He and Craig Baird were 14th at Bathurst 1000.

Holdsworth scored team's first victory and his third win in a career at Winton Motor Raceway in April 2014. At the end of the season, he was 20th in the points again.

Besides his Supercars commitments with Erebus Motorsport, Holdsworth was also driving Mercedes cars at 2013 Bathurst 12 Hours. He finished sixth overall, sharing the #63 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 with Tim Slade and Peter Hackett.

Lee Holdsworth joined Charlie Schwerkolt Racing in 2015

Competing with Charlie Schwerkolt Racing from 2015 to 2018

In 2015, Holdsworth moved to Charlie Schwerkolt Racing, which operated as a satellite team to the Holden Racing Team. He was driving the #18 Holden VF Commodore to the 14th place in the championship, without wins or podiums. His endurance co-driver was Sebastien Bourdais and they finished 9th at Bathurst 1000.

In 2016, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing became an independent team, running a Triple Eight-built Holden VF Commodore for Holdsworth. He sustained serious injuries in a crash at Hidden Valley Raceway, being replaced in three rounds by Kurt Kostecki and Karl Reindler. Holdsworth returned to a car before endurance events, sharing a car with Karl Reindler. He finished 24th in the championship points.

Lee Holdsworth competed with #18 Holden from 2015 to 2018

In 2017, his third season with Charlie Schwerkolt Racing, Holdsworth finished best in the fourth place at a season-closing round at Newcastle Street Circuit, ending a year 16th in the championship.

For the 2018 Supercars season, Holdsworth stays with the team, getting a brand new Holden ZB Commodore. He finished just 21st in the points. It was his last season with Charlie Schwerkolt's team, the former champion Mark Winterbottom replaced him in 2019.

Lee Holdsworth's Ford Mustang at Bathurst 1000

Moving to Tickford Racing in 2019

For the 2019 Supercars season, Holdsworth moved to Tickford Racing to drive the #5 Ford Mustang GT. He managed to score just one podium over the season, the third place at Sandown, finishing tenth in the final classification. At Bathurst 1000, he and Thomas Randle finished ninth.