That has created a clash for three drivers competing in both categories.
Broc Feeney, Ryan Wood and Jayden Ojeda will all miss the GT finale due to their Supercars commitments.
An important caveat for the teams to consider is that they must replace their current co-drivers with a like-for-like competitor.
The aforementioned trio are all rated Gold by the FIA. In this instance, any driver rated Bronze, Silver or Gold is eligible, but not Platinum.
Ojeda had hoped to do double duties in the PremiAir Racing Chevrolet and Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG but cannot do both.
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Tigani Motorsport looks set to lean on its relationship with Mercedes-AMG and source a star driver from its international pool.
The team will not be allowed a factory driver, as the FIA automatically grades factory drivers Platinum.
Melbourne Performance Centre driver Brad Schumacher has been weighing up his options, including international GT drivers and local Supercars talent.
Schumacher had hoped to score Christopher Haase, but his status as a Platinum precludes his entry.
The Bathurst local had also flagged Ricardo Feller as an option, but his Platinum status and Porsche deal also ruled him out.
Speaking with Speedcafe in Darwin, Schumacher said he’s looking closer to home for options.
“We’ve been contemplating a few options and we’ve already tested with a couple of drivers, but we haven’t made any firm decision on it yet,” Schumacher told Speedcafe.
“We’re going to do some more testing with some more available options at Sydney.
“Ultimately, Adelaide’s a very high risk circuit and so I feel it’s really important to have somebody that’s got GT3 experience and even better, if they’ve got Audi knowledge.
“There are a few people that are in Australia that have gotten Audi experience with the Bathurst 12 Hour.
“We’re just weighing up those options at the moment and we’ll come to a solution sometime before the Adelaide 500.”
Team BRM driver Steve Brooks is in the same boat – and while he’d love to have a big-name Kiwi come and drive with him, the driver categorisation limits rule out some of the top talent.
Brooks has a few drivers in mind. He’s hopeful that whoever he settles on will be able to race with him in the South Island Endurance Series in preparation for Adelaide.
His decision has more time pressure attached with the South Island Endurance Series starting in mid-September.
“We had about an eight hour flight over from Christchurch to Darwin. I think for about six hours of it myself and James Marshall were discussing who we should pick and what we should do and we went down a whole bunch of names,” Brooks told Speedcafe.
“At this stage, I can’t confirm anyone at the moment. I’ve got two rounds that I’m doing in the South Endurance Series in New Zealand, both Ruapuna and Teretonga. Ideally, I’m going to get someone that can jump in the seat, have a bit of practice and then go to Adelaide.
“I’m probably looking for someone that’s had some experience there before because with the limited drive times, I’m going to hog all of it and get in there.
“It’s got a lot of concrete walls there. I need as much practice as I can get because they’re expensive pieces of kit to be rolling around the streets of Adelaide.”
Brooks said he has an idea in his head of who he would like to have join him but was conscious that other teams might steal the show superstar signings.
“I’ve got one name, I’ve got to hit up,” said Brooks.
“I’d love to tell you right now. I was asking Brad and I know he was winding me. He said he’d signed up an international. He wants to win, he wants to take it.
“I don’t know if he was telling the truth or not, but he says all he’s going to be revealed in Sydney.
“Obviously we’re running out of time, so I’m going to have to make some phone calls after this weekend and see if we can put them in the seat.”
Brooks being a New Zealander is fairly parochial, and in an ideal world would have another Kiwi alongside him.
“I would like to have a Kiwi if possible, so most of the names we put forward are Kiwis to give them a bit of a shot as well,” said Brooks.
“It’s a thing of do we want to take an up and coming gun that probably has a little bit more risk attached? Potentially wants to try make a name for himself but also can drive. Or do we take something at one of the old faces Richie Stanaway or even Fabian Coulthard?
“There have been a lot of names thrown around.”
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS continues at Hidden Valley Raceway at Darwin on July 24-26. Coverage is live and exclusively on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.
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