International GT stars to figure in Adelaide GT title battle

The three title contenders in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Championship have strengthened their bids for the crown as each as brought in international world class co-drivers to the final round at the Vailo Adelaide 500.

Points leader Liam Talbot will have two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner and former GT World Challenge Australia champion German Chris Mies with him in his Shannons Audi R8 LMS Evo 2.

Just seven points in arrears is Geoff Emery in his Jamec Racing Audi. Emery will be aiming for an unprecedented fourth GT championship and has again enlisted Austrian Max Hofer to make that happen.

A further 15 points away is Yasser Shahin who is shooting for a threepeat of GT titles and his first in a Porsche. To strengthen his goal, he will have the services of factory Porsche Penske Motorsport star Matt Campbell aboard his EMA Motorsport 911 GT3R.

Mies previously linked up Emery at the Perth round and raced with Shahin for two race wins in Adelaide last year. Hofer has won five races this year, three with Talbot and two with Emery when he switched teams.

Also in the Pro-Am class will be a pair of Mercedes-AMGs for Chris Batzios and Jayden Ojeda, and Mike Bailey and Brett Hobson.

Brad Schumacher leads the AM Class in his Fuchs Audi, and he will have to fend off Matt Stoupas and Paul Stokell who will share their KFC Audi, Mike Sheargold and Garth Walden in a Mercedes and brothers James and Theo Koundouris in their Supabarn Supermarkets Audi.

Marc Cini (Hallmarc Audi) returns to the championship and Renee Gracie steps into a current-specification Audi R8 after she secured the Trophy Class title at the last round.

In the Trophy Class, Paul Lucchitti (Audi R8 LMS Ultra) with be facing a pair of Porsche GT3 Cup Cars in the hands of Tom McLennan and Marcos Flack. Four MARC Cars make up the Invitation Class with local Goodacre and Adam Hargraves in MARC GTs, while Darren Currie and Geoff Taunton, along with Axle Donaldson to pilot MARC IIs.

After two practice sessions on Thursday, there will be two qualifying sessions on Friday morning, and Race 1 later that afternoon. The second and third races will be held on Saturday and Sunday morning.

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