Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires drove the #44 Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 to victory in Race 1 of the GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS at The Bend Motorsport Park. The second round of the 2026 season was held under a golden autumn sunset on Saturday evening.

Clean start, clean race

Pires led from pole at the start of Race 1, settling into a rhythm at the front as the field sorted itself out behind him. The opening stint passed without major incident — until Brad Schumacher put a wheel on the grass, losing second place and tumbling the #1 Kelso Electrical MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3 to fourth. The mistake promoted the #268 Castrol Team BRM Audi R8 LMS GT3 of Mark Rosser and the #26 ARGT Ferrari 296 GT3 of Elliott Schutte into second and third respectively, where they would stay until the flag.

Leitch holds on under a setting sun

After the stops cycled through, Leitch took over the leading Mercedes-AMG and held his nerve to take the win with the low autumn sun directly in his visor on the run to the line. Thomas Randle crossed four seconds back in the #268 Castrol Team BRM Audi for second, with Jaxon Evans in the #26 ARGT Ferrari a further 17 seconds behind in third — though Evans had to hold off a hard-charging Broc Feeney in the #1 Kelso Electrical MPC Audi in the closing stages before securing the final podium position.

Will Davison completed the top five in the #181 OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 he shares with Renee Gracie, keeping Ryan Wood in the #88 Team BRM Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3 and Jayden Ojeda in the #66 Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 at bay.

Positions eight through ten went to JP Drake and Garnet Patterson in the #666 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS GT3, the #56 Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Oscar Targett and Shane Smollen, and Josh Buchan and Cameron Campbell’s #23 Zagame Autosport Ferrari 296 GT3.

Race 2 of Round 2 takes place on Sunday at 14:10 local time (ACST / UTC+9:30).

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