Tekno Autosports is evaluating a possible entry into the Australian GT Championship next season with McLaren.
The Gold Coast-based V8 Supercars squad is currently involved in talks with the British manufacturer to enter the booming category after securing a deal to run two factory backed 650S GT3s in next year’s Bathurst 12 Hour.
Last week McLaren announced it had chosen Tekno Autosports to assist its Bathurst 12 Hour assault, which will see team owner Jono Webb pilot one of the entries alongside Shane van Gisbergen and McLaren factory racer Alvaro Parente.
Tekno’s new V8 recruit Will Davison will spearhead the sister car alongside Brits Rob Bell and Andrew Watson.
Following the announcement discussions to extend the association with McLaren are underway, with Webb admitting he is keen to explore an Australian GT program with the marque.
The forging of the association has been aided by its V8 Supercars team manager Steve Hallam, who enjoyed a 17-year stint with McLaren prior to moving to Australia.
“It is something we are looking at as a group,” Webb told Speedcafe.com.
“We are putting a lot of effort into the Bathurst 12 Hour and we will learn a lot from it, so it would be silly not to sit down and at least consider how we continue the relationship with McLaren in Australia.
“I’ve been busy working to lock down everything for V8 Supercars next year but once that is secured I will be able to spend some time working on what we can do with McLaren and Australian GT.
“It is obviously really exciting for us as a group. We have been chipping away for five years to show what we can do and we have done that in V8 Supercars.
“But to be recognised by McLaren is huge and I have to thank Steve Hallam.
McLaren has earmarked the region as a market it wishes to increase its involvement, with GT operations boss Andrew Kirkaldy hopeful Tekno decide to join the Australian GT Championship.
“We will discuss that with them in the lead up to the Bathurst 12 Hour but they are certainly looking at it (Australian GT) and they have a few customers interested to do the series, and I hope we can get a deal done,” Kirkaldy told Speedcafe.com.
“It certainly seems to be something they are keen to do. Jono drove one of our McLarens at Phillip Island this year and I think he is keen to get more involved in GTs if that is possible.
“It is very important region for us. We have had three cars in the Australian GT Championship and we won some races but we were low key.
“We had a reasonable run to third in the championship but we want to be winning races and ultimately championships.
“With the series growing as it is there is a market for selling cars.”
If an arrangement is forthcoming the squad would be the second V8 Supercars outfit to commit to the championship next season alongside Erebus Motorsport.
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