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The #55 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 will be run out of Melbourne Performance Centre, with which Schumacher linked for February’s Bathurst 12 Hour after several years competing in an operation based in ‘the place of the race.’
It will sport the backing of Shaw and Partners and Southern Cross Truck Rentals – both former sponsors of Brown’s old Supercars team, Erebus Motorsport – as well as the likes of incumbent Kelso Electrical.
The announcement comes after Brown made his competitive Triple Eight Race Engineering debut in one of its Mercedes-AMG GT3s in the Bathurst 12 Hour, and represents a return to the MPC ranks after several race wins in an Audi in the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series.
“I was keen to do more racing this year, and I really enjoyed the Bathurst 12 Hour, so I wanted to put something together,” he said.
“Brad was keen to stay in the series and step up to Pro-Am, so this felt like a great match. I’m really looking forward to the season ahead.
“If Brad isn’t the best Am driver in Australia, he is certainly one of the best. He does an awesome job, especially considering he hasn’t raced all his life.
“The GT field looks very competitive this year. The category has grown in the off-season, and to see drivers like Chaz [Mostert], Jaxon Evans and myself in there, it’s going to be interesting to see how we all go and how we race.
“Brad and the Melbourne Performance Centre have put together a really cool deal. MPC is one of the most professional teams in the country and I’m looking forward to the season.”
For Schumacher, not only is moving into the MPC stable a step up, but so too is competing for the Pro-Am title after winning the championship in the Am class in 2023.
“Since winning the Am championship, now was the right time to step it up and have a crack at Pro-Am, so hopefully the momentum continues,” he stated.
“My driving over the years has been improving year after year and the results show. We were going to enter and run our own car in Pro-Am, but once MPC reached out with the opportunity to join Will Brown in the works car, it was hard to not accept.
“To have Will in my camp, it will not only improve my driving working consistently with a Pro, but it increases the likelihood of good results.
“Also, Will and I have a similar personality, so I expect this to help us gel, which in turn will hopefully make us a hard team to beat.
“Will’s a legendary bloke and gun Pro to match and he sees me as a valuable amateur driver, so we are just as happy to drive with each other, which is a good mix when you can look at each other with a respectful eye.
“But for me, I know that I’m going to learn plenty as the year goes on which will reap rewards.
“This year will be super competitive. There are a lot of great driver line-ups, but I feel as though I’m performing well lately, rating me well against the top amateurs in the category.
“Will is leading the Supercars Championship and driving with one of the premier teams full-time in Triple Eight, so there’s no weak link for us.
“We should be in a position to take race wins and that’s what we are certainly aiming for. It’s the reason I’m making the step up to Pro-Am and Will is joining the category.
“It’s great to be in the MPC works car. They have so much data and knowledge within the team. We have those tools in the bank already so we can simply work on being fast each weekend.
“Our Audi looks spectacular too. Shaw And Partners wanted the Australian flag incorporated into the livery with both Will and I excited by it, as it will stand out on-track. Plenty of Aussie pride!”
The season starts at the Phillip Island Shannons SpeedSeries event on April 12-14 while Brown is in action again today, starting on the front row in Race 4 of the Supercars Championship at Albert Park this afternoon.
