Team owner Josh Hunt will make a return to full-time driving alongside three-time GT champion Geoff Emery in the team’s new McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, competing in the Pro-Am class.
The team’s existing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 will be driven by the team’s protege Alex Gardner and emerging talent Lee Stibbs.
Both cars will be presented in the same striking white, black, and red livery, with primary backing from Motorhaus Garage, a Brisbane-based kit car manufacturer.
Hunt made a return to racing at the final GTWC round at Hampton Downs last season, scoring a podium alongside former champion Liam Talbot.
Returning to full-time competition for the first time since 2015, Hunt is eager to showcase the McLaren and partner a driver of Emery’s calibre.
“I’m really keen to be back in. I got bitten by the bug in NZ and this time it will be nice to commit to a full season of racing,” said Hunt.
“The McLaren is just a great race car and I’m excited to play a part in shaping the brand’s program here in Australia.
“Typically, I’m in the background, developing, testing and driving the business forward, but now that I’ll be back in the car full-time the aim is to fast track the on-track development.
“Plus, it will put me in a better position to coach our drivers and customers.
“To be driving with Geoff is really cool. I’ve known him for a long time and he brings a lot of experience. We are like minded personalities, and it’s going to be a fun year working with him.”
Emery has kept race fit by being a consistent front runner in the IRC Racing Series, battling against Stibbs in near equal machinery.
“I’ve been keeping pretty busy in race cars in recent times, so I feel that I’m ready to step back into GT World Challenge,” said Emery.
“Josh has done a fair bit of racing over the years, so he should be a very solid Pro. He’s got some serious competition to race against, but that is all part of the challenge in GT racing.
“My job is to match it with the Bronzes, and once we get up to speed with the McLaren and get a good understanding of what it needs, I’m confident that we can be a threat.
“Driving the McLaren is going to be an all new challenge, but I feel it’s going to feel like a cross between an Audi and a Porsche.
“It will be nimble, but we’ll build up our confidence and speed through the weekend and we’ll see where we end up.”
Gardner made his GT debut in the same Aston Martin in 2024 and has remained an integral part of the Volante Rosso team.
The 19-year-old won the Radical Cup title in 2023 and has remained behind the scenes at the team in the years since.
“The team is my home away from home. Even while I wasn’t racing, I was working with the team, so I’m looking forward to representing them again and being back in the Aston Martin,” said Gardner.
“It’s definitely good that I’m driving a car that I know, but we’ll just ease into the weekend, find our feet and see where we end up.
“Teaming up with Lee is going to be great and it’s cool to see such a competitive GT field to race against.”
Englishman Stibbs steps into the team having been a consistent winner in the IRC Racing Series, joining the series last year and instantly running at the front in the GT-style machinery.
“I’m looking forward to getting to Phillip Island with Volante Rosso and driving the Aston Martin with Alex,” said Stibbs.
“Alex is obviously a young talent on the rise, and he has done plenty of miles in the Aston. That will be a big head start for us.
“I’m going to look to acclimate myself as quickly as possible and my aim is to be able to give constructive feedback that will help drive us forward.
“I don’t plan on being the Bronze that’s a burden. I really want to contribute and be an asset.
“With the racing that I’ve been doing recently, I feel race fit for it.
“I haven’t raced a GT car before, but for everything I’ve been told, and the knowledge that the team has with the car, I hope that we’ll be able to get onto a good pace early.”
GT World Challenge Australia will commence this weekend, March 27-29, at Phillip Island as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries.
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