Inaugural GT Festival to host thrilling Fanatec GT Australia title fight

Just 20-points separate the top five entries in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Pro-Am standings entering the inaugural GT Festival at Phillip Island.

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Returning to where the title chase started back in April, it was Ferrari taking a debut win courtesy of series leaders Liam Talbot and Chaz Mostert of Arise Racing GT. The duo sit on 95-points despite not having scored a victory since the opening race.

A point behind in the standings is the only multiple winning team this season, the Shaw & Partners/Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Brad Schumacher and Will Brown. The pair broke a five-race run of different winners this season at Queensland Raceway and return to Phillip Island where they were narrowly beaten in Race 2.

The Dayle ITM Team MPC sister Audi of Tim Miles and Brendon Leitch sit on 93-points. Miles has been a surprise packet this season highlighted by his superb defensive drive in the second race at Round 1 to hold off Schumacher in a thriller. The New Zealanders will be out to taste another victory.

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo attack is led by Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Peter Hackett and Declan Fraser, with the winners from The Bend 16-points adrift of the series lead.

Elliott Schutte and Jaxon Evans complete the top five, 20-points behind their Arise Racing GT teammates.

As an indication of the high level of competition this year in Pro-Am, the ACM Finance/Team BRM Audi was a race winner at Queensland Raceway courtesy of Mark Rosser and Alex Peroni.

Two teams displaying front-running pace at Queensland Raceway, but are yet to hit the winner’s list this season return to a happy hunting ground. Realta/Tigani Motorsport’s Paul Lucchitti and Jayden Ojeda scored a podium at Round 1, while Paul Stokell is in great form partnering Renee Gracie in the OnlyFans Team MPC Audi returning to the Island.

Luck deserted Grove Racing last time out at Queensland Raceway, but the father-son team was fast at the opening round at Phillip Island in what was Stephen and Brenton’s local debut driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

Aston Martin returns to the Pro-Am field after displaying promising signs at Round 3 as Ross Poulakis switches to partner Alex Gardner, replacing Ben Porter due to Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia racing commitments.

Rounding out the Pro-Am field is a wildcard in the form of international sportscar ace David Brabham, who pairs with Harrolds Racing’s Chris Batzios in the team’s Volante Rosso-prepared Mercedes-AMG. 

Just as the fight for Pro-Am is tight, Am continues this trend. RAM Motorsport’s Mike Sheargold and Garth Walden in their Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo hold an 11-point advantage heading to the GT Festival.

Second is the fellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entry of brothers James and Theo Koundouris for Supabarn Supermarkets/Tigani Motorsport, with Ash Samadi upholding the Audi honours in third.

Black Wolf Motorsport’s Shane Woodman and Ben Schoots enter their home round on a high after a breakthrough Am Class win at Queensland Raceway.

Am Class competition will be heightened by the return of Marcel Zalloua and Sergio Pires in the Valmont Racing Audi after missing the previous round.

Marc Cini in the Hallmarc Team MPC Audi completes a strong Am Class field.

The KMB Motorsport Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 will once again have competition in Trophy Class as Scott Taylor and Paul Morris will aim to replicate their debut win at Queensland Raceway in the STM Porsche 911 GT3-R (997).

The inaugural GT Festival takes place at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on August 23-25 and has free entry for spectators all weekend.

Those who can't make it to Phillip Island can tune into the action via the live broadcast on Kayo/Foxtel, as well as the GT World YouTube Channel.

Entry list, Round 4 Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, GT Festival, Phillip Island