Renee Gracie has outlined how her return to motorsport in Perth next weekend is the first step towards a Bathurst 1000 return.
Gracie will drive an Audi R8 GT3 in the Trophy Class as part of the GT World Challenge Australia in Wanneroo next weekend.
It will be her first motorsport appearance since 2017 as she looked to reconnect with the sport.
“All of this is about getting laps in the car and time in the seat and potentially still pursue that [Bathurst] 1000 return,” she told Speedcafe.
“This is all just helping towards showing people that I’m serious.
“A lot of people didn’t take me seriously in the beginning.
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“It’s been a long way to get here and now I hope that people can see that I’m serious, I want to get back into it.
Her participation in the Trophy Series is part of a deliberate plan to rebuild her racing career.
She’s already gained funding to complete the sprint component of the GT season courtesy of OnlyFans.
Aside from the international appeal, which is attractive to her financial backers, it also sidesteps licencing limitations.
Based on her previous record, it’s understood that Motorsport Australia has granted her a national-level licence.
That enables her to compete without having to display P plates in Perth but does not allow her to race in the top class of GT World Challenge in the first instance.
Even at Trophy Series level, GT racing is desirable and seen as elitist, a step above many other categories a national-level licence allows competitors to race.
Once she progresses to a full racing licence, her options open up, and she can look at other categories in her pursuit of Super Licence points.
“There is a bigger game in play that is going to unfold with regards to what I do and how I do it,” Gracie told Speedcafe.
“We’re all aware of that, we’re all sort of slowly talking about the options and we have things in the back of our mind.
“We have a plan but obviously that more than likely will change, but we’re aware that there is a very strategic play that’s ahead of us this year with regards to what I do and how I do things.
“But we’re all aboard for the challenge and ultimately we’re all here to go back racing and we want to be a part of this opportunity and get into something which we love.
“The GTs have been amazing in welcoming me back into motorsport which I’m so grateful for.”
Logically her path back to Bathurst would include some Super2, and likely a dispensation to sidestep the nuances of the licensing requirements.
Based on her track record, which includes two participations in the Great Race, that is a reasonable proposition, and Motorsport Australia could justify such a move.
It would then fall to Supercars whether it green lights the return.
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