Following the midseason break, the 2025 GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS resumes this weekend with a 14-car grid set to take on Sandown International Raceway.
Marking the series’ first return to the iconic circuit since 2022, the event will see an almost unchanged entry list from Queensland Raceway, showcasing the country’s top GT3 machines as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries’ bumper GT Festival Sandown from July 25–27.
A notable addition to the grid is the return of series veteran Marc Cini, making his first appearance of the year. He will share the Hallmarc/Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II alongside former Supercars driver Lee Holdsworth.
While Cini and Holdsworth have a wealth of experience racing the Audi together, after multiple Bathurst 12 Hour campaigns, this weekend’s GT Festival Sandown marks Holdsworth’s official debut in the GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS.
The pair slot into a stacked Melbourne Performance Centre stable of Audi R8 LMS EVO IIs, which features title contenders Brad Schumacher and Broc Feeney for Kelso Electrical, Wolfbrook's Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks, and current Am leader Renee Gracie, who leads the Am class after an impressive opening three rounds.
The Victorian team will also welcome back the KFC Audi R8 LMS EVO I, which will be piloted by the new combination of Paul Stokell and Matthew Stoupas in the Trophy Class.
Although Melbourne Performance Centre’s #7 Dayle ITM Audi, driven by Brendon Leitch and the late Tim Miles, will not compete this weekend following Miles’ recent passing, the car will still be present at Sandown as part of a series of memorial tributes.
Rounding out the Audi contingent is the Team BRM entry of Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser, who will be looking to build on their breakthrough victory at Queensland Raceway last month.
They’ll have plenty of work to do to close the gap to the rest of the top five, which is currently led by the Lance East Racing Team Ferrari 296 GT3 of Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte – the pair having already enjoyed three race wins this season.
The leaders are once again joined by the second Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3 of Steve Wyatt, who welcomes back Jordan Love, after the West Australian missed the Queensland round.
Tigani Motorsport returns with its pair of Pro-Am Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entries. Realta’s Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti will be aiming for a strong weekend to reignite their title hopes, while Geyer Valmont Racing’s George King and Sergio Pires are targeting their first podium finish of the season.
Rounding out the Pro-Am class is the Volante Rosso Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, which welcomes back Jamie Day to partner Liam Talbot following the recent withdrawal of Declan Fraser.
In the Am class, the return of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO of Benjamin Schoots and Shane Woodman makes it a four-car field for the first time since GT Festival Sydney.
The Black Wolf Motorsport outfit will make it three Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVOs on the grid, joining James Koundouris and Theo Koundouris in the Supabarn Supermarkets/Tigani Motorsport Mercedes and 111 Racing's Darren Currie and Grant Donaldson. Meanwhile, Renee Gracie will be aiming to guide her Audi to another class victory as she continues her push for the title.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will have a busy weekend on the cards with two practice sessions and pre-qualifying on Friday, Qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday, and Race 2 on Sunday.
Australian-based fans will be able to tune into all of Saturday and Sunday’s sessions via 7plus, while international viewers can stay tuned via the GT World YouTube page.
Fans able to make it to Sandown can purchase tickets via the speedseries.com.au/tickets, with a free grid walk preceding Sunday’s final race.
The fourth round of the 2025 GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS season takes place at Sandown Raceway as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries’ GT Festival Sandown on 25–27 July.
GT Festival Sandown schedule
Friday July 25
Practice 1: 10:00 – 11:00
Practice 2: 13:05 – 14:05
Pre-Qualifying: 16:25 – 17:25
Saturday July 26
Qualifying 1: 11:15 – 11:30
Qualifying 2: 11:40 – 11:55
Race 1: 15:05 – 16:05
Sunday July 27
Grid Walk: 13:20 – 13:40
Race 2: 14:05 – 15:05
