An entertaining double qualifying session for GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS has produced a mix of results, with four different manufacturers set to occupy the front row across both of the round’s races.
With two 10-minute sessions making up Qualifying, the popular EMA Motorsport Porsche #911 GT3R of Shane Smollen and Dorian Boccolacci secured pole position for Race 2 in thrilling fashion, while Elliott Schutte and Jaxon Evans will start this afternoon’s race from the top spot after claiming top honours in Qualifying.
The Frenchman saved his best for last, snatching pole position from Alex Peroni with a 1m25.53s lap on his seventh and final attempt. It was a complete turnaround in fortunes from Friday’s action, where the team struggled to get the car out of the garage for practice.
Starting alongside Boccolacci in tomorrow’s race will be Peroni in the Team BRM/ACM Finance Audi R8 LMS EVO II, which he shares with Mark Rosser – the pair missing out on pole by almost half a second in a surprising result after yesterday’s domination.
In the Am Cup, it was Ben Schoots in the Black Wolf Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO 5200 who will lead the class after edging out OnlyFans/Team MPC’s Renee Gracie by 0.9 seconds.
While the Porsche and Audi will lead the way in tomorrow’s race, it’s a Ferrari and a Mercedes occupying the front row in today’s one-hour outing, as Schutte and Evans were awarded top spot post-session.
Volante Rosso’s Liam Talbot had gone fastest in the session by almost a second, but the reigning champion received a three-place grid penalty post-session due to an unsafe release, ultimately handing Schutte the top spot.
Starting alongside the Ferrari 296 GT3 will be the Geyer Valmont Racing / Tigani Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO of Sergio Pires and George King, the former of whom made the step up into the Pro-Am class after racing in the Am Cup in 2024.
As for the Am Cup, Gracie finally had her moment to claim top honours in qualifying after a brilliant display in the Audi R8 LMS EVO saw her qualify ninth overall, and almost one and a half seconds faster than Shane Woodman.
GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS's first of two races at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit will be at 1:45pm AEDT today and can be watched live on 7plus and 7mate.