Among several entries to be rolled out by the Audi squad, Samadi will contest in the full season in the Am class, at the wheel of an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2 in his traditional lion livery.

A stalwart of GT racing in Australia, Samadi moved to racing Porsche Carrera Cup during the mid-2000s. He raced a Mosler MT900 GT3 in GTs in 2010 and finished fifth in the championship in 2011 and for the past decade, has raced in both categories. A highlight was his Am class second in the 2017 Bathurst 12 Hour.

After a part GT Championship program last year where he scored Am podium placing at Queensland Raceway as well as a round of the comparable Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia, Samadi is back fulltime this year.

“This year with the new SRO Australia management and structure, it’s very exciting,” said Samadi.

“It’s going more towards the GT World Challenge Asia way of running things, which is good and something that I’m keen for.

“We are pretty proud of the results from last year, and it’s great to link up with the Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia team. The team does an excellent job as the biggest operation in terms of GT racing locally. The team did a brilliant job last season and for my first round in Asia as well, so full marks to them.

“We had a couple of podiums last year and my aim is to add a few more as I try to run as high as I can in Am Class. If this year we can better last season, I will be happy.

“I love driving the Audi. It’s suited for my sort of driving in it being very active and I’m keen to stay with Audi. I started off in the Mosler but have been on and off in the category for around 15 years.

“I think GT is home for me, it’s where I feel like I belong.”

Samadi is set to test the Audi at Phillip Island early next week, ahead of the first sprint round at the circuit as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries on April 12-14.