Shop
Lamborghini’s return, a second outright-Porsche contender and a brand-new Invitational entry are the assembled highlights for the third round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS.
While a 21-strong field will roll out at Phillip Island next weekend, noticeable absentees will be the Triple Eight-run Johor Motor Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries.
The team has committed to the opening round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia championship that commences on the same weekend.
Leading the Australian championship after two rounds is Liam Talbot who will reunite with regular co-driver Fraser Ross in their Shannons Insurance Audi R8 LMS.
Ross has been unavailable previously due to international racing commitments.
Talbot’s race-winning partner from those rounds, young Austrian ace Max Hofer, will shift across to the Jamec Racing Audi to drive with Geoff Emery.
Talbot’s closest rivals, Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson (EMA Motorsport/The Bend Motorsport Park Porsche 911 GT3R), head into the event unchanged after their last round victory at Wanneroo Raceway in Western Australia.
The Wall Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Adrian Deitz and David Wall, and the Grove Racing Porsche 911 GT3R of father-son team, Stephen and Brenton Grove, will be additions for this Championship round.
Other season 2023 debutants include the Melbourne Performance Centre-entered Myland Audi R8 LMS with Andrew Fawcet and Dylan O’Keeffe, and Dutton Garage’s George Nakas, who will have Ben Stack with him in his Audi. Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport have added a second car, with the debut of a brand-new Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Chris Batzios and Sam Brabham.
In the Trophy class, Perth winner Renee Gracie will have competition in the form of Tigani Motorsport’s Paul Lucchitti, who has entered his Audi R8 LMS Ultra.
Two MARC Cars Australia entries will compete in the Invitational Class. They are brand new MARC GT for Geoff Taunton and Kiwi Daniel Jilesen, and a Marc II to be driven by Darren Currie.
ENTRY LIST – 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS, Round 3
| CAR | CLASS | SPONSOR | DRIVER 1 | DRIVER 2 | MAKE/MODEL |
| 1 | Pro/Am | EMA Motorsport/The Bend Motorsport Park | Yasser Shahin | Garnet Patterson | Porsche 911 GT3R (991.2) |
| 4 | Pro/Am | Grove Motorsport | Stephen Grove | Brenton Grove | Porsche 912 GT3R (991.2) |
| 5 | Am | Dutton Garage | George Nakas | Ben Stack | Audi R8 LMS Evo 2 |
| 6 | Pro/Am | Wall Racing | Adrian Deitz | David Wall | Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo |
| 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 |
| 20 | Invitational | Marc Cars Australia | Geoff Taunton | Dan Jilesen | Marc GT |
| 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 | Marcel Zalloua | Sergio Pires | Audi R8 LMS Evo 2 |
| 45 | Am | RAM Motorsport / GWR Australia | Michael Sheargold | Garth Walden | Mercedes AMG GT3 |
| 48 | Pro/Am | MMotorsport | Justin McMillan | Glen Wood | Mercedes AMG GT3 |
| 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 |
| 95 | Invitational | Marc Cars Australia | Darren Currie | Ford Marc II Mustang | |
| 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 | Pro/Am | Harrolds Racing/Volante Rosso Motorsport | Christos Batzios | Sam Brabham | Mercedes AMG GT3 |
| 181 | GT3 Trophy | Only Fans | Renee Gracie* | Audi R8 LMS Ultra |
