fbpx

Battle of the German titans to continue in Sydney

The ongoing Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS fight between Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-AMG will continue at a breakneck pace at Sydney Motorsport Park next week.

A 22-strong field will tackle a pair of 60-minute races alongside the Repco Supercars Championship’s Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight event next week with a championship finely poised at it’s half-way point.

The Sydney field is dominated by the three dominant brands of the year to date; Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-AMG.

11 Audi R8 LMS GT3s will go head to head with 8 Mercedes AMG GT3s and the lone Porsche 911 GT3R in Sydney.

They’ll be joined by Mark Griffth’s Mercedes AMG GT4, and the returning Invitational class KTM X Bow GT2.

Audi’s attack is headlined by their key 2023 contenders, including points leader Maximilian Hofer. who will return to co-pilot the Jamec Racing entry with Geoff Emery.

Emery sits second in the standings following a surge back to the front of the field at Phillip Island last time out.

Their closest pursuer Liam Talbot will have regular co-pilot Fraser Ross alongside him aboard their Shannons-backed Audi.

The Audi fleet is bolstered by the return of the Myland entry driven by Andrew Fawcett and Dylan O’Keeffe, and the new Trophy Class entry of Paul Lucchitti.

Meanwhile, Am class leader Brad Schumacher is also back in a bid to extend his class lead over the KFC-backed entry of Matt Stoupas and Paul Stokell.

Mercedes-AMG add to their stocks in Sydney thanks to the return of Triple Eight Race Engineering / Johor Motor Racing and their two-car squad, having missed the most recent local round due to overseas racing commitments.

Even more battle hardened after recent podium finishes in Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia competition, the JMR duo will see Prince Jefri Ibrahim joined by Richie Stanaway, and Prince Abu Ibrahim by seven-time Supercars champion, Jamie Whincup.

New to the Mercedes fleet will be experienced Porsche Carrera Cup racer Tim Miles, who will join Harrolds Racing / Volante Rosso Motorsport for the Sydney round.

Filling in for regular driver Chris Batzios, Miles has significant GT experience though Sydney will be his first drive in a Mercedes-AMG product.

Also new to a Mercedes-AMG GT3 car will be Canberra brothers James and Theo Koundouris, who switch from Audi to the rival German brand in a new AMG GT3 prepared by Tigani Motorsport.

Meanwhile, Justin McMillan’s M Motorsport AMG entry will see the experienced Victorian partnered with Bathurst podium-finishing driver David Russell.

Porsche’s lone hope in Sydney rests with EMA Motorsport and proven race-winning pair Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson, already winners this season.

The duo sit a handful of points from the championship lead and well within striking distance of the leading Audi trio in front heading into the second half of the season.

A welcome returnee at Sydney will be the KTM X Bow driven by David Crampton and Trent Harrison, the stunning GT2-specifcation car to return to the circuit for the first time since a fraught Bathurst 12-Hour campaign that saw it withdrawn and replaced by an Audi prior to race day earlier this year.

The KTM, always a fan favourite, will run in the Invitational class at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Sydney round represents a return of top-level GT3 competition to Sydney Motorsport Park since 2018.

Broadcast coverage will be provided via Fox Sports and Kayo Sports on Saturday and Sunday of the Sydney weekend.

ENTRY LIST

CAR

CLASS

SPONSOR

DRIVER 1

SURNAME

DRIVER 2

SURNAME

MAKE

MODEL

1

Pro/Am

EMA Motorsport/The Bend Motorsport Park

Yasser

Shahin

Garnet

Patterson

Porsche

911 GT3R (991.2)

5

Am

Dutton Garage

George

Nakas

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

8

Am

MC Labour

Michael

Kokkinos

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

10

Pro/Am

Myland

Andrew

Fawcet

Dylan

O’Keeffe

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

19

GT4

Nineteen Corporation/Daimler Trucks Brisbane

Mark

Griffith

Mercedes

AMG GT4

22

Am

Team MPC

Ash

Samadi

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

23

Am

KFC

Matt

Stoupas

Paul

Stokell

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

44

Am

Valmont Racing/Tigani Motorsport

Sergio

Pires

Marcel

Zalloua

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

45

Am

RAM Motorsport/GWR Australia

Michael

Sheargold

Garth

Walden

Mercedes

AMG GT3

47

Am

Supabarn Supermarket/Tigani Motorsport

James

Koundouris

Theo

Koundouris

Mercedes

AMG GT3

48

Pro/Am

MMotorsport

Justin

McMillan

David

Russell

Mercedes

AMG GT3

50

Invitational

MMotorsport/Vantage Racing

David

Crampton

Trent

Harrison

KTM

GT XBOW

55

Am

Schumacher Motorsport/Kelso Electrical

Brad

Schumacher

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

65

Pro/Am

Shannons

Liam

Talbot

Fraser

Ross

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

66

GT3 Trophy

Realta/Tigani Motorsport

Paul

Lucchitti

Audi

R8 LMS Ultra

75

Pro/Am

Jamec Racing

Geoff

Emery

Maximilian

Hofer

Audi

R8 LMS Evo 2

88

Pro/Am

Triple Eight Race Engineering/JMR

Prince Abu Bakar

Ibrahim*

Jamie

Whincup

Mercedes

AMG GT3

96

Pro/Am

Hobson Motorsport

Mike

Bailey

Brett

Hobson

Mercedes

AMG GT3

101

Pro/Am

Harrolds Racing/Volante Rosso Motorsport

Ross

Poulakis

Jayden

Ojeda

Mercedes

AMG GT3

102

Am

Harrolds Racing/Volante Rosso Motorsport

Tim

Miles

Mercedes

AMG GT3

181

GT3 Trophy

Only Fans

Renee

Gracie*

Audi

R8 LMS Ultra

888

Pro/Am

Triple Eight Race Engineering/JMR

Prince Jefri

Ibrahim

Richie

Stanaway

Mercedes

AMG GT3