'Legend': Motorsport community pays tribute to rally ace Mark Tapper

The New Zealand motorsport community has paid tribute to Kiwi rally driver Mark Tapper, who has died aged 44.

The former Production World Rally Championship driver's death was confirmed by the RallySport magazine on Tuesday.

Tributes to Tapper from some of the biggest names in New Zealand motorsport have flowed in.

Among them was leading driver Hayden Paddon, who called the news a "shock" to the rally community, describing Tapper as a "legend of a driver and a human being".

"Mark was always one of the first to support us and give a bit of stick/encouragement when needed. I would say he was one of the most gifted rally drivers in NZ - never afraid to commit that little more, keep it a gear higher and leave nothing on the table," he said on Facebook.

"Following in his footsteps in the Pirelli Star Driver, the memories and stories that he left behind in Europe will be forever remembered by many."

Rally trailblazer Emma Gilmour posted to Instagram and said she was "heartbroken" to hear "one of the most likeable, one-of-a-kind people" in rally had passed away.

"I’ll never forget watching him pull a perfect handbrake 180 at speed into a car park right in front of me on a recce convoy - seriously impressive, even with the gravel spray across the manicured lawn," she said.

Kiwi drifting racer "Mad" Mike Whiddett shared a photo of him and Tapper from when they were younger. He remembered some of the trouble the pair used to get up to.

"There was never a minute in our teens when either one of us wasn’t in cast, locked up, running from security, flipping cars down gravel roads or banned from seeing each other by our parents… by the age of 17 I lost count of the amount of $100 Trade & Exchange hacks we destroyed each weekend up Woodhill forest.

“Never did we think both of us would make it on the global stage at the highest level, racing and entertaining behind a steering wheel.

"So many stories plus the scars on my body from all the crashes that will remind me of you each day."

In a post to Facebook, MotorSport New Zealand described Tapper as a "fierce competitor and true character of the sport".

"Mark made his mark both at home and on the world stage."

Former New Zealand rally champion Chris West called Tapper a "real character" who was a "competitive and talented steerer". He said he "enjoyed every moment" with Tapper, both in and outside of competition.

Tapper rose to prominence in the mid-2000s following a series of good results alongside Jeff Judd, according to RallySport.

The duo were the first Kiwis home at Rally New Zealand in 2005.

In 2008, Tapper was awarded the Pirelli Star Driver award, which secured him a spot in the Production World Rally Championship — a chance to compete against some of the world's top drivers.

While achieving his best WRC result in 2009, his year was marred by mechanical failures, and he made his last attempt at Rally New Zealand the following year.