A MARC Focus V8 will join the Australian GT Championship for the first time at Phillip Island this weekend following late eligibility approval from CAMS.

An example of the purpose-built endurance car, which competes with GT3 machinery in the Bathurst 12 Hour and a variety of overseas events, will be driven by Paul Morris and Beric Lynton.

The entry has been approved on an invitational basis for Phillip Island, joining the field of 35 GT machines.

Team owner Ryan McLeod says he is also hoping to field multiple cars in the AGTC season ending Highlands 101 in November and join a proposed GT endurance series next year.

“Long term, with the endurance way that Tony (Quinn, AGTC owner) is looking at going, it suits our car perfectly,” McLeod told Speedcafe.com.

“We can run the cars overseas, at Bathurst, in Sports Sedans and now here, which is really what we wanted when we built them.”

McLeod expects the Focus V8 to be nipping at the heels of the slower GT cars throughout the 101 lap Phillip Island feature, but says he’s not focussed on results.

“A successful weekend will just be a solid showing for the car,” he said.

The Queensland-based team is set to run the car at Phillip Island without McLeod, who will be overseas preparing two other MARC V8s for the upcoming 12 Hours of Zandvoort in The Netherlands.