GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS made its first trip to the Northern Territory for a dramatic opening race at Hidden Valley Raceway, where Mark Rosser and Alex Peroni claimed victory and took the championship lead.
The #268 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II led from start to finish and crossed the line 8.9 seconds ahead of Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti in the #66 Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Will Davison and Renee Gracie completed the podium in the #181 OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 after recovering from a difficult qualifying session. Gracie pressured Shane Smollen in the #56 Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 to run wide and moved into third where she and Davison stayed.
Opening-lap chaos
Several contenders hit trouble at Turn 1, with Sergio Pires, Brad Schumacher and Elliott Schutte all caught up in separate incidents. Schutte was forced to retire the #26 Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3, while Steve Brooks suffered significant damage to the #88 Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3. Schumacher tried a daring move around the outside of Rosser into the first turn for the lead, ran his tyres just slightly into the grass and spun around.
Rosser avoided the trouble and quickly built a commanding advantage while the cars behind fought for position. He held a lead of around 15 seconds before handing the Audi to Peroni during the mandatory pit window.
Peroni controlled the second half of the race to secure victory, while Ojeda brought the Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG home in second.
Davison holds off Feeney
Schumacher recovered from losing pole position through a post-qualifying penalty and climbed back through the field, although contact with Pires earned him a five-second penalty.
Broc Feeney continued the charge after taking over the #1 Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3 and closed to within a second of Davison. The Ferrari driver held firm to secure third, leaving Feeney and Schumacher in fourth.
Josh Buchan and Cameron Campbell completed the top five in the #23 Zagame Autosport Ferrari 296 GT3. Paul Stokell and Matthew Stoupas finished ninth overall and claimed Trophy Class victory in the #24 KFC Team MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3.
Race 1 top 10
- #268 Alex Peroni / Mark Rosser – BRM Audi – 51 laps
- #66 Jayden Ojeda / Paul Lucchitti – Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG – +8.903
- #181 Will Davison / Renee Gracie – OnlyFans Racing Ferrari – +1.385
- #1 Broc Feeney / Brad Schumacher – MPC Audi – +0.272
- #23 Josh Buchan / Cameron Campbell – Zagame Autosport Ferrari – +15.548
- #666 Garth Patterson / Jordan Drake – BRM Audi – +3.969
- #44 Brendon Leitch / Sergio Pires – Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG – +1.737
- #56 Oscar Targett / Shane Smollen – Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG – +28.580
- #24 Paul Stokell / Matthew Stoupas – MPC Audi – +1 lap (Trophy Class)
- #2 Valmont Astuti / Declan Currie – MPC Audi – +4.868
Rosser takes the championship lead
The victory moves Rosser to the top of the Pro-Am drivers’ standings on 95 points, while Peroni continues his comeback after missing the opening rounds through injury. Ojeda and Lucchitti sit just one point behind, with Leitch and Pires on 91 and Feeney and Schumacher nine points off the lead.
Race 2 takes place on Sunday morning at 10:10 ACST.
