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Liam Talbot and Brenton Grove have each taken a pole position for Round 4 of Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS at Mount Panorama.
Talbot, who is this weekend sharing the #65 Audi R8 LMS GT3 with Fraser Ross, clocked a 2:06.4514s to edge out Yasser Shahin by 0.7s in Qualifying 1.
A late effort from Grove put the #4 Porsche 911 GT3 R on top in Qualifying 2, the father-son combination eclipsing Talbot’s team-mate Ross late in the piece.
Peter Hackett was a late improver, climbing to second at the death to put the #888 Mercedes-AMG GT3 he’ll share with Jefri Ibrahim just 0.1819s adrift of Grove.
With inclement weather looming, all 15 cars ventured out on track to bank a lap in the opening minutes of Qualifying 1, which would set the grid for Race 1.
Liam Talbot in the #65 was the first driver to set a sub 2:10s lap, clocking a 2:08.5437s eight minutes into the session.
That was quickly bettered by Brett Hobson in his #96 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 on a 2:07.4871s, although some way from the quickest times achieved in Tuesday’s practice.
As the session hit the 12-minute mark, rain began to fall at the bottom of The Mountain.
Talbot, who had been quickest to the first and second sector, duly bowled a wide at Murray’s Corner as he slid on the rain.
With five minutes remaining it was Hobson from Talbot, Shahin, Theo Koundouris (#69 Audi), and Brad Schumacher (#55 Audi).
Despite the rain at the bottom of The Mountain, Stephen Grove in the #4 surged from 10th to fourth.
Grove was soon demoted to sixth as Ibrahim rose to fourth and Mark Rosser in his #17 Audi to fifth with three minutes remaining.
Hobson continued his charge, his seventh lap, a 2:07.2504s, edging his advantage out to three and a half tenths.
Still, Talbot continued to reset the pace, a 2:06.4514s taking Talbot to the top by 0.7990s.
Soon enough, Shahin split Talbot and Hobson.
At the close of play, it was Talbot on top overall and in Pro-Am followed by Shahin, leading Trophy competitor Hobson, Rosser, Grove, Ibrahim, top Am class competitor Koundouris, Schumacher, Marc Cini (#9 Audi), and Michael Bailey (#38 Aston Martin).
Having only minutes earlier been covered in cloud, the circuit was soon baked in sun as Qualifying 2 began, which would set the grid for Race 2.
Brenton Grove in the #4 set the pace initially on a 2:06.7059s while #888 driver Hackett slotted into second and Ross in the #65 to third.
Garth Walden, who is sharing the #45 Mercedes with Mike Sheargold, came within three tenths of Grove on his first flying lap, taking him to second.
Paul Stokell in the #124 Audi threatened the top order, a 2:06.5356s putting him three and a half tenths off Grove’s pace.
Walden improved his benchmark, although didn’t do enough to best Grove, coming within 0.1805s.
With six minutes remaining, Ross climbed to the top on a 2:05.3068s to put himself eight tenths clear of the field.
Stokell followed suit, slotting in behind Ross with a time just two tenths adrift of the lead.
Walden closed in on Ross’ time, coming within 0.0944s with five minutes to go.
As the session came to a close, Grove surged to the top with a 2:04.8162s to go 0.4906s clear of Ross.
Hackett improved too, rising to second with a 0.3350s to split them at the death.
At the end of Qualifying 2, it was Grove from Hackett, Ross, Stokell, Walden, Roberto Merhi (#17 Audi), Theo Koundouris (#69 Audi), Ben Porter (#51 Porsche), Hobson, and Schumacher.
Race 1 of the weekend, a 60-minute affair, gets underway on Thursday at 12:25 local time/AEDT.
Results: Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS, Qualifying 1
Pos | Num | Team/Sponsor | Driver(s) | Car | Sess | Cls | Fastest Lap |
1 | 65 | Coin Spot | Liam Talbot | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Pro/Am | 2:06.4514 |
2 | 777 | The Bend Motorsport Park / Valvoline | Yasser Shahin | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Pro/Am | 2:07.2148 |
11 | 96 | Hobson Motorsport | Brett Hobson | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | Q1 | Trophy | 2:07.2504 |
3 | 17 | What do you Meme? | Mark Rosser | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Pro/Am | 2:08.6051 |
4 | 4 | Grove Group / Dasher + Fisher | Stephen Grove | Porsche 911 GT3-R | Q1 | Pro/Am | 2:08.8904 |
5 | 888 | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Jefri Ibrahim | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | Q1 | Pro/Am | 2:08.8964 |
6 | 69 | Supabarn | James Koundouris | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Am | 2:09.4351 |
12 | 55 | Schumacher Motorsport / Kelso Electrical | Brad Schumacher | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Trophy | 2:10.2114 |
7 | 9 | Hallmarc | Marc Cini | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Am | 2:11.0614 |
13 | 38 | Trading Garage / The Motorists | Michael Bailey | Aston Martin Vantage GT3 | Q1 | Trophy | 2:12.1090 |
8 | 51 | Imak Kwikmit | Andrew Macpherson | Porsche 911 GT3 R | Q1 | Am | 2:12.3825 |
9 | 45 | RAM Motorsport / GWR Australia | Mike Sheargold | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | Q1 | Am | 2:13.7540 |
10 | 124 | K.F.C. | Gary Higgon | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q1 | Am | 2:13.9378 |
14 | 222 | Scott Taylor Motorsport | Scott Taylor | Porsche 911 GT3 R | Q1 | Trophy | 2:17.1906 |
15 | 19 | Daimler Trucks Brisbane | Mark Griffith | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | Q1 | GT4 | 2:19.9401 |
Results: Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS, Qualifying 2
Pos | Num | Team/Sponsor | Driver(s) | Car | Sess | Cls | Fastest Lap |
1 | 4 | Grove Group / Dasher + Fisher | Brenton Grove | Porsche GT3-R 911-II | Q2 | Pro/Am | 2:04.8162 |
2 | 888 | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Peter Hackett | Mercedes AMG GT3 | Q2 | Pro/Am | 2:04.9981 |
3 | 65 | Coin Spot | Fraser Ross | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q2 | Pro/Am | 2:05.3068 |
4 | 124 | K.F.C. | P.Stokell | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q2 | Am | 2:05.4002 |
5 | 45 | RAM Motorsport / GWR Australia | G.Walden | Mercedes AMG GT3 | Q2 | Am | 2:05.4012 |
6 | 17 | What do you Meme? | R.Merhi | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q2 | Pro/Am | 2:06.2706 |
7 | 69 | Supabarn | Theo Koundouris | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q2 | Am | 2:06.5849 |
8 | 51 | Imak Kwikmit | B.Porter | Porsche 911 GT3-R | Q2 | Am | 2:06.6510 |
9 | 96 | Hobson Motorsport | Brett Hobson | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | Q2 | Trophy | 2:07.1502 |
10 | 55 | Schumacher Motorsport / Kelso Electrical | Brad Schumacher | Audi R8 LMS Ultra | Q2 | Trophy | 2:07.2422 |
11 | 38 | Trading Garage / The Motorists | Michael Bailey | Bentley GT3 | Q2 | Trophy | 2:09.1622 |
12 | 9 | Hallmarc | Marc Cini | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Q2 | Am | 2:10.2998 |
13 | 222 | Scott Taylor Motorsport | Scott Taylor | Porsche 911 GT3-R | Q2 | Trophy | 2:17.7963 |
14 | 19 | Daimler Trucks Brisbane | Mark Griffith | Mercedes GT4 | Q2 | GT4 | 2:18.8474 |