Renee Gracie is hoping to piece together a full-season programme running a latest-spec Audi in GT World Challenge Australia next season.
The 28-year-old is making her competitive debut in one of the latest-spec cars at the Vailo Adelaide 500 this weekend, having already wrapped up the Trophy Class in her older-spec Audi.
She has joined Melbourne Performance Centre’s fleet of R8 LMS Evo 2s, a forward-looking move given she hopes to step up to a GT Am programme next season.
“That’s why we got into this car this weekend,” she told Speedcafe.
“We’re working on making the step up in the background, that’s the goal and the plan. It didn’t make sense to do this weekend in my old car if we want to step up next year. I’m not in contention for another championship, I’m not here to win, I can just come here and learn.
“It’s almost like a test weekend for me. I’m not here to be a hero and do anything crazy. I just want to do my thing and maximise time in the car, so next year I’ve eliminated a bit of the learning curve.”
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She tested the MPC car at Winton last week before splashing to 11th in both practice sessions on a soggy Adelaide street circuit today.
Reflecting on the wet running, she said the challenge was understanding how to best utilise the beefed up electronics driver aids on the newer car.
“Thank god I had the test day to understand the car,” she said. “Even so, I was unsure of where the limit is here in the wet.
“Practice 1 was great this morning, it was a good wet track, not too slippery. The car was very reactive and was talking to you. I was probably a little too conservative under brakes.
“The driver assists engage a lot more than my old car and I’ve got to learn to use it. Every time I engaged it, my mind would tell me I’m at the limit and I’d back off. That’s a whole learning curve in itself.
“The second practice was awful, it was horrendous. That was the worst track I’ve ever driven on. I had a few big moments, again trying to understand the assists and where the limit is and how hard I can push and lean on them.
“It’s almost deceiving because you know you have them but you don’t want to get too greedy. Naturally in the dry you use them, but it’s so different in the wet.”
The GT World Challenge Australian finale continues with qualifying starting at 8:35am local time ahead of an opening 40-minute race at 1:25pm local time.
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