It was a dream weekend at home for Melbourne Performance Centre in the inaugural event of the FANATEC GT World Challenge Australia calendar, with the No. 777 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo of Garth Tander and Yasser Shahin repeating the good work from the Race 1 and beating some opposition in a quite close Race 2, that also had its fair share of drama from start to the checkered.
Race 2 had the pros opening the show, and started with the No. 888 Triple Eight Mercedes having the MPC Audis all over the place while the No. 4 Grove Porsche was watching everything from fourth place to possibly make a move, and once things settled down, the No. 777 MPC Audi consolidated its tight lead.
Eventually the No. 777 and the No. 24 formed an MPC 1-2 to ensure the No. 888 would be kept behind in third, and after a brief yellow, things were kept the same until the pit window, with the Trophy cars coming first to pit as soon as the access was allowed.
Maximizing track time was the game for the top cars to leave the least amount of effort to the amateurs, and in a moment of distraction from Chaz Mostert, Jamie Whincup put the No. 888 in second place, and with all cars coming in at the same time, it would depend on track performance in the second stint. The pit exit put the No. 24 MPC Audi in front with the No. 4 Grove Porsche right behind, and it didn’t take long to Stephen Grove to take the lead and go away, leaving Tony Bates as prey for Prince Jeffri Ibrahim.
With the No. 33 Perfect Auto Body Audi stopped at the main straight, the Safety Car was called with 16 minutes to go, and until the car got moving and the green flag was waved again it was a question of nearly 10 minutes, and once the action got back, the No. 4 was in the defensive from the No. 777 but once they were at the main straight, Shahin showed what the Audi can do, and just behind them, the No. 55 Schumacher Audi that leading the Trophy class spun and let the door completely open for the No. 96 Hobson Nissan.
Once the No. 777 got rid of the No. 4, it was just a question of going straight to the line, repeating the good job done on Saturday.
GTWC Australia - Phillip Island Race 2 results
The No. 96 Hobson Nissan scored the Trophy win due to the No. 55 mistake, with Brett Hobson even giving the new GT3s a run for their money from fifth overall, and the No. 91 Canon Foods Audi was the Am Cup winner from eighth overall.
Next event in the FANATEC GT World Challenge Australia calendar will be at Bathurst on 3 and 4 April.
PHOTO: SRO
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