Randle to make GT World Challenge Australia debut

The Tickford Racing Supercars regular has made a pair of Bathurst 12 Hour starts but to this point has not appeared in the domestic GT3 series.

That will change next weekend when Randle joins Tigani Motorsport and Marcel Zalloua for the Sydney GT Festival.

Zalloua and Randle will share a Tigani-run Mercedes for a Sydney Motorsport Park event that will be held partially under lights.

For Zalloua the event will mark a belated start to the season after missing the Phillip Island opener following a crash in an Audi at the Bathurst 12 Hour.

“I am excited to be back in the category after missing out on Phillip Island. I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back, but I very quickly realised I’m not someone who enjoys sitting out,” Zalloua said.

“I found watching from the sidelines really tough, so with Sydney being my home round, I had to figure out how I could get back behind the wheel – especially since the Audi wasn’t in good shape after Bathurst.

“Thankfully Tigani has the Mercedes, which will be great for me. We’ll have the new sponsor, ResetData, backing me and I will aim to put on a show on home soil with my family and friends all here – it’s why I love racing at Sydney Motorsport Park.

“There was the option to go solo for this round, but I was watching [former co-driver] Serge [Pires] learn a lot from George King and I figured partnering with someone highly skilled could only benefit my development – especially since I’m not getting a lot of drive time this year.

“Having someone like Tom on board is exciting. He’s been on our radar for a while. He seems like a great bloke – sensible, quick, and with a good personality. He just felt like the right fit. We’ll see how we go.

“This will be a one-off round, and we’ll see how it pans out. There is a lot happening in my world at the moment, however never say never. There is nothing truly like being behind the wheel.”