A court has heard a champion motorsport driver cannot wear an ankle monitor while on bail over alleged domestic violence charges because it would leave him unable to compete.
Ryal Harris appeared in Brisbane’s Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking authorisation to alter his bail conditions to have the tag removed because he claimed it was preventing him from racing professionally.
The five-time V8 SuperUte Series winner was barred from racing in February after he was hit with multiple domestic violence charges.
The charges included stalking and using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. Mr Harris had allegedly tried to call his ex-partner on repeated occasions and also drove past her house in an effort to see his son.
The 39-year-old was granted bail in relation to the charges. But on Wednesday, his lawyer Mr Ashkan Tai told the Brisbane Supreme Court that the ankle monitor he was wearing as part of his bail conditions also impeded with his work.
‘The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile [world motorsport’s governing body] would not allow him to race as a result of that tracker on his leg,’ Mr Tai explained.
Ryal Harris (pictured) has sought to change the conditions of his bail altered so that he can have an ankle monitor removed
In making the application, Mr Tai said that the allegations against his client had not included threats or the suggestion of physical harm.
‘He is committed to being a good father. He was anxious to re-engage with his son, who he hasn’t seen for 11 months,’ Mr Tai added.
Mr Harris took part in the opening round of the 2025 V8 Supertes Series back in February. He was later dropped from the team, with a spokesperson for his EFS 4×4 Accessories outfit revealing that the decision was made by the team’s owner, not because his licence had been suspended.
‘The Series takes the safety and well-being of all its competitors seriously and does have the ultimate right to accept or deny any request to compete at our rounds,’ the spokesperson told News Corp.
‘We don’t have any request from Mr Ryal Harris to compete at present, nor has any current team owner raised this as a future possibility with the Series.
‘All our 24 licences to compete, which are owned by our teams, are all filled for the remainder of 2025.’
Mr Harris is also employed as a screen printer. His legal counsel explained the tag would regularly get caught and tangled at his workplace in Ashmore.
In compliance with his bail conditions, the court had also heard that the 39-year-old had moved his workplace from Southport to Ashmore. He is required to avoid Southport as part of the conditions.
Harris (left) was hit with domestic abuse charges earlier this year and has not raced since
The bail conditions also require him to live at an address in Slacks Creek. But on Wednesday, his counsel had informed the court that the racing driver wished to move house in order to be closer to his place of work.
However, Justice Sean Cooper amended the bail conditions, noting that the racing driver had been compliant with the orders of his bail since they were first handed to him in January.
Mr Harris’ application was approved, with Justice Cooper adjusting his conditions, with the SuperUte driver now required to report to the Nerang Police Station on a weekly basis.
The Gold Coast racing driver is also rather uniquely known for doing shoeys from his racing boot.
Despite having not raced since February, he remains listed on the V8 SuperUtes website, which names him as ‘the most-successful Utes driver in Australian motorsport history.’
Harris has gone on to win five titles, with his latest coming back in 2021.
