How 150 minutes flipped the GT World Challenge Australia title race

Less than 20 points cover the top seven combinations and, if the most recent round at Queensland Raceway proved anything, it’s just how quickly the championship picture can change.

In this article, we take a look at the top contenders at the season’s halfway mark heading to Hidden Valley Raceway.

Brendon Leitch/Sergio Pires – Tigani Motorsport Mercedes – 85 points

Across two 15-minute qualifying sessions and two 60-minute races, Ipswich flipped the script on the season as Tigani Motorsport duo Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires vaulted from fifth to first in the points.

The pair pulled off a third place finish on Saturday and a win on Sunday, becoming just the second driver combination to podium in both races on a given weekend this season after Mark Rosser and Thomas Randle at The Bend.

Leitch and Pires turned a 15-point deficit entering Ipswich into a nine-point advantage on their way out, thanks in part to their success and a bit of bad luck for their rivals.

Their championship picture could have looked completely different, however.

Pires threw away a podium when he spun in damp conditions in race one of the season at Phillip Island. A day later, he was on course for a podium until an errant Rosser collided with the Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG in the second race and caused them to DNF.

It is the ultimate what-if, but demonstrates how good the pair have been since hitting that speed bump.

Jayden Ojeda/Paul Lucchitti – Tigani Motorsport Mercedes – 76 points

Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti were winners at Phillip Island and Tailem Bend but never got a good look at the podium at Ipswich.

They appeared to be the biggest threat to Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher in the title race until two lacklustre qualifying performances at QR put the #66 Tigani Motorsport duo on the back foot.

A mistake in qualifying cost them. While Tigani Motorsport teammates Oscar Targett and Brendon Leitch lined up first and second, Ojeda was only seventh.

The Supercars full-timer made headway at the start of Race 1 to sit fourth, but wound up back where he started when they served their 15-second success penalty hangover from their Tailem Bend win.

They improved to fourth on Sunday in an otherwise tough weekend.

“It was unfortunate that both Paul and I had interesting qualifying sessions,” said Ojeda off the back of the QR weekend.

“I had a mistake on my final lap on a drying track, which just put us out of position and then we just paid for it in Sunday’s race.

“Considering the first race we had a 15-second success penalty and we ended up seventh isn’t too bad. Then fourth on Sunday also isn’t too bad considering where we qualified.”

Broc Feeney/Brad Schumacher – Melbourne Performance Centre Audi – 73 points

The doors literally fell off the Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 at Ipswich.

Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher came to Queensland Raceway as the series leaders but dropped to third by the end of the weekend with finishes of fourth and 13th.

Jaxon Evans/Elliott Schutte – Arise Racing GT Ferrari – 72 points

There was a lot of chat about the Balance of Performance ahead of Ipswich.

Mercedes won three of the first four races and was pegged back by way of a leaner fuel mixture and an additional 10kg of weight.

The Ferrari, meanwhile, was given a reprieve with more boost and more rear wing angle but with an additional 10kg.

There was some success for Ferrari, with Will Davison and Renee Gracie winning Saturday’s race. However, sister squad Arise Racing GT didn’t have the same luck.

An ill-timed red flag during qualifying cruelled a potential pole position lap for Elliott Schutte.

Schutte and co-driver Jaxon Evans finished fourth on Saturday, but were given a post-race penalty for a first-lap clash that relegated them back to eighth.

Sunday was better, salvaging their weekend with a third place finish.

“It was a weekend where things didn’t fall our way,” said Arise Racing GT team principal Jordan Oon.

“The pace was there all weekend, practice showed that clearly, and Elliott’s qualifying lap before the red flag was on course to be something special.

“When Saturday didn’t go to plan, everyone kept their heads up and came out on Sunday ready to fight.

“A podium in Race 2 was the right reward for that attitude.

“We sit fourth in the championship with the top five having completely reshuffled across this round, and we know we have the car and the people to be right in this fight.”

Mark Rosser – Team BRM Audi – 70 points

Am driver Mark Rosser hasn’t had the privilege of continuity this season.

A pre-season injury for Alex Peroni sidelined the ex-Formula 3 driver for the first two rounds.

In his place, Thomas Randle filled the void. Back-to-back podium finishes at The Bend vaulted Rosser into contention.

On paper, Ipswich was a relatively quiet weekend for Rosser upon Peroni’s return, scoring consecutive fifth place finishes.

That was an impressive feat, considering they started the opening race from 13th and the closer from seventh.

Ryan Wood/Steve Brooks – Team BRM Audi  – 61 points

Supercars ace Ryan Wood and his Kiwi compatriot Steve Brooks were dealt a massive blow at Queensland Raceway.

They failed to start Saturday’s race with a busted battery, resulting in a zero-point day.

With no success penalty on Sunday, they bounced back emphatically to score second place after a late charge saw Brooks hunt down Schutte for the runner-up spot.

They sit 24 points off championship leaders – which is one point shy of a race win’s worth of points.

What to expect at Hidden Valley

This weekend marks the first time GT World Challenge Australia has visited Darwin.

No teams have tested at the circuit, so Friday’s practice sessions will be a valuable opportunity for all concerned.

If there are any drivers who have an advantage, it’s the likes of Feeney, Wood and Ojeda. They all recently raced at Hidden Valley with Supercars in the Darwin Triple Crown.

Evans also knows Hidden Valley well from his Supercars days.

Straight-line speed and tyre management will be the key to success in Darwin, which is famed for its drag strip and hot weather.

The form guide suggests Tigani Motorsport and its Mercedes-AMG trio are the team to beat, though.

Audi and Ferrari each have one win apiece. Perhaps strangest of all this season is that Arise Racing GT is still searching for its first win.

Speedcafe understands a Balance of Performance tweak will give the Ferrari 296 GT3 some more straight-line speed.