The Shannons SpeedSeries makes its return to racetracks in 2025 with six rounds across Australia and New Zealand to make up the season.
Starting at Phillip Island in April, Sydney Motorsport Park follows in May before heading up north at the end of the month to Queensland Raceway.
Sandown in July is next before the penultimate round at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park will be held in September before the Shannons SpeedSeries heads overseas to New Zealand for the first time to Hampton Downs.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will headline the Shannons SpeedSeries in 2025, while Monochrome GT4 Australia, First Focus Radical Cup Australia, Ferrari Challenge Australasia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia will all be regular fixtures throughout the year.
With a strong strong support cast in 2025, speedseries.com.au looks at all the categories that will feature at every round in 2025.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS
GT3 has taken the world by storm since its introduction in 2006 and continues to attract strong manufacturer support as proven by the injection of Ford and Chevrolet, with Toyota also working on its next iteration.
Exotic marques such as Audi, Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari fight for supremacy in GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, but more marques are expected to be represented in 2025. Teams will fight for the Pro-Am and Am Class titles across the six round calendar.
Shannons SpeedSeries Rounds:
GT Festival Phillip Island
GT Festival Sydney
GT Festival Queensland
GT Festival Sandown
GT Festival The Bend
GT Festival Hampton Downs
Monochrome GT4 Australia
Monochrome GT4 Australia came out of the blocks running during its maiden standalone season in 2024. Seven manufacturers were represented throughout last year and Toyota has been confirmed to be the next to join in 2025.
Competitors will be contending for three classes according to driver rankings for Am, Pro-Am and Silver Cup. Less modified than GT3, the GT4s feature a stringer resemblance to the road-going equivalent and the racing proves just as good.
Shannons SpeedSeries Rounds:
GT Festival Phillip Island
GT Festival Sydney
GT Festival Queensland
GT Festival Sandown
GT Festival The Bend
GT Festival Hampton Downs
First Focus Radical Cup Australia
Radical Cup continues a long history of the British marque’s involvement in Australia featuring the latest SR3 models including the XXR, RSX and XX.
Competing at all five Australian-based Shannons SpeedSeries rounds, the category features a format of two 50-minute races across a weekend, which includes a compulsory pit stop. Drivers fight for the Pro-Am and Am Class honours in a competitive setting at some of the premier circuits in the country.
Shannons SpeedSeries Rounds:
GT Festival Phillip Island
GT Festival Sydney
GT Festival Queensland
GT Festival Sandown
GT Festival The Bend
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia
Expanding the famous Porsche Pyramid to another level, Sprint Challenge has emerged as a key development tier for Australian drivers. Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia is the feeder series to Carrera Cup, but others such as Ryan Wood and Tom Sargent have used to launch into Supercars or an overseas career.
The one-make series has been a fixture of the Shannons SpeedSeries for many since the category debuted in 2008. More history will be made at four Shannons SpeedSeries events in 2025.
Shannons SpeedSeries Rounds:
GT Festival Phillip Island
GT Festival Sydney
GT Festival Queensland
GT Festival The Bend
Ferrari Challenge Australasia
After making its debut at Bathurst earlier this year, Ferrari Challenge Australasia will feature at three Shannons SpeedSeries rounds showcasing the Ferrari 296 and 488. The Ferrari Challenge models feature less aero, but more power than the GT3 equivalents and is focused on the gentleman racer making the transition from track days.
Shannons SpeedSeries Rounds:
GT Festival Phillip Island
GT Festival Sydney
GT Festival The Bend
Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series
Regularly counted as one of the most popular categories on the Supercars support card, the small and potent Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series features the closest competition in Australia.
Making a sole appearance at Sandown as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries, it will be a category not to miss.
Shannons SpeedSeries Rounds:
GT Festival Sandown
National Sports Sedans Series
The ‘Gods of Thunder’ will set the track alight at Queensland Raceway in a high horsepower, ground shaking spectacle. The National Sports Sedan Series has limited regulations compared to other categories and innovation is at its highest in this category. Sports Sedans enjoy a history of more than 50 years in Australia and provide a different spectacle to any other in local motorsport.
Queensland Raceway will be the perfect venue for the National Sports Sedan Series due to its flowing corners and straights.
Shannons SpeedSeries Round:
GT Festival Queensland
Formula Open Australia
Open-wheeler fans will enjoy the addition of Formula Open at the Sandown round of the Shannons SpeedSeries. Formula Open combines various Toyota Racing Series, Formula 3, Formula Renault, Formula 4 and other suitable invitational variants.
Formula Open will provide an early chance to view some of Australia’s rising stars at Sandown.
Shannons SpeedSeries Round:
GT Festival Sandown
Group S
Group S is just like GT3 racing from the 1960s and 1970s and features the leading sports car models from an exciting era. It is a true representation of racing from this time and features the likes of Datsun from Japan, the Porsches of Germany, De Tomaso and Alfa Romeo represent Italy, while MG, Triumph and Austin Healey provide the best of British.
Group S will make a guest appearance at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park.
Shannons SpeedSeries Round:
GT Festival The Bend
2025 Shannons SpeedSeries calendar
Round 1: Phillip island, April 4-6
Round 2: Sydney Motorsport Park, May 2-4
Round 3: Queensland Raceway, May 30-June
Round 4: Sandown, 25-27 July
Round 5: Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, September 5-7
Round 6: Hampton Downs, October 31-November 2