Triple Eight adds Stanaway to Perth GT field

Richie Stanaway will be on the starting grid for the GT World Challenge Australia series at the Supercars Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint.

The Triple Eight driver, who will co-drive with Shane van Gisbergen at this year’s Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 Supercars enduros, will drive the #888 Mercedes-AMG with Prince Jefri Ibrahim.

Stanaway will replace Broc Feeney as he races the #88 Red Bull Ampol Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the Supercars category, leaving the seat open for Stanaway to take the two 60-minute races across the weekend.

In his first race meeting with the team, Stanway drove a third Triple Eight entry at the 2023 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in February with Prince Jefri Ibrahim and Red Bull Ampol Racing Team Principal, Jamie Whincup.

The 31-year-old New Zealander described Triple Eight as “The best team I’ve ever worked with” as the trio drove the #99 Boost Mobile-backed Mercedes-AMG GT3 from 15th on the grid to tenth position overall and third in the Pro-Am class.

It was his first competitive outing since a solid comeback at the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000, where he drove a Boost Mobile-backed wildcard entry with countryman, Greg Murphy, to tenth place. Stanaway made his mark with an impressive in fifth in qualifying around the 6.213km Mount Panorama circuit.

Stanaway was announced as Shane van Gisbergen’s enduro co-driver following the defection of Garth Tander – who won two Bathurst 1000s with van Gisbergen and Triple Eight – to Grove Racing.

The Perth drive will not only allow Feeney, who is coming off the back of a win in Race 6 at Albert Park, to focus on Supercars but allows Stanaway more competitive seat time ahead of any possible wildcard entries ahead of the Sandown 500, scheduled for September 15-17.

Stanaway won the 2017 Sandown 500 with Cam Waters for Tickford Racing.

The GT field in Perth will also include Bathurst 6 Hour winner Jayden Ojeda, as well as 2022 title winner Yasser Shahin. Former Supercars driver Renee Gracie will make her competition return in the Trophy Class at the wheel of an Audi R8 GT3

The Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS kicks off with Practice 1 at 9:10 (AWST) Friday, April 28.

Entry list: GT World Challenge Australia, Perth