Mostert/Talbot storm to victory in dramatic GT opener

While the Ferrari 296 GT3 driving pair had only won a single race all season, they continually led the points. Their only win was at Phillip Island which proved the fast circuit suits the car and is a happy hunting ground for the team upon winning again in race one at the GT Festival.

They eased the pace in the closing laps of the 60-minute race as the sister car of Elliott Schutte and Jaxon Evans, as well as the flying Brendon Leitch and Tim Miles in the Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS Evo II, both had right rear punctures.

Second place went to Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser (Audi R8) with Declan Fraser and Peter Hackett third in their Mercedes-AMG after they were turned around at the second corner on the first lap. Stephen and Brenton Grove (Mercedes-AMG) were fourth in front of Will Brown and Brad Schumacher, and Renee Gracie and Paul Stokell, both in Audis.

Seventh placed Marce Zalloua and Sergio Pires (Audi) won the AM class in front of class rivals Michael Sheargold and Garth Walden (Mercedes-AMG) by 10.6s. Evans and Schutte finished ninth after the puncture and an earlier glitch when the Ferrari stalled on pit entry.

Ben Schoots and Shane Woodman (Mercedes-AMG) completed the top 10. They had the addition of 15s for late contact on Ash Samadi at MG that put his Audi out and cost the Mercedes-AMG one outright place.

Leitch was third and set new lap records several times when he had his puncture. He limped to the pits at Mostert started his last lap, and managed the tyre change for the chequered flag went out. However Leitch was further penalised for speeding in pitlane and ultimately placed 14th.

With the AM drivers starting the race, it was Talbot that led from Rosser and Schumacher. Stokell was in fourth position but did have contact with and spun Hackett at Turn 2. Stokell would have 15s added to his pitstop when handing to Gracie.

On the second lap, there was contact between Ross Poulakis (Aston Martin Vantage) and Paul Lucchitti (Mercedes-AMG) which spun the former’s Aston Martin and left the latter stranded on the outside of Turn 4. It put both he and his Pro driver partner Jayden Ojeda out of the race.

A two-lap safety car period followed before racing resumed. Shortly after Schumacher had a moment at Turn 4 where he went down the inside of a couple of cars and spun past the apex.

The second one-hour race is on Sunday and expected to start at 12:50pm.