In a thrilling second Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS encounter at Phillip Island it was the all-New Zealand pairing of Tim Miles and Brendon Leitch taking victory in the Dayle ITM Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2 to cap off the opening weekend of the season.
In a stunning comeback driver, Ash Samadi added further success for Audi by taking the Am Class following a tough weekend up to that point.
However, the titanic battle for the lead between Miles and Brad Schumacher following the pit stops provided plenty of heart in mouth moments, but a spin for the latter in the Shaw & Partners/Kelso Electrical Audi while attempting a pass on the exit Southern Loop decided the race in favour of the all-New Zealand pairing.
Schumacher dropped to third as the Realta-supported Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Paul Lucchitti and Jayden Ojeda took second.
It was Ojeda leading the way through the first half of the race holding off Chaz Mostert in the lead Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3 and Leitch in what was an intense battle for supremacy between three manufacturers.
The Am Class battle opened up heading into the first corner of the contest as the RAM Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 was the loser as Garth Walden was sent onto the grass after contact between two rivals was made.
Ferrari’s challenge ended at the pit stops as Talbot took over from Mostert, but he was forced to give way as he exited his box. This led to the engine needing to be re-cycled exiting the lane and a slow re-entry was not helped by a spin for Talbot at Southern Loop.
A flow on effect was the team entry of Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte being slowed as well, but this opened the door for Audi.
Will Brown handed the Shaw & Partners/Kelso Electrical Audi to Schumacher in fourth, but it emerged from the pits third as he passed Lucchetti and quickly caught the Dayle ITM entry.
Miles put in a textbook performance to hold off Schumacher in one of the best battles since Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS started in 2021.
Schumacher’s spin at Southern Loop came as he attempted to slide down the inside of Miles on the exit, but this resulted in a trip through the gravel trap and a drop to third, as Talbot pushed hard to grab the position on the final lap.
Talbot stormed in the final laps to overtake the Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Peter Hackett and Declan Fraser, with Paul Stokell putting in another strong performance to finish sixth in the OnlyFans Team MPC Audi with Renee Gracie.
Schutte was able to finish seventh alongside Evans, while Am Class winner Samadi secured eighth after a close battle with the Ashley Seward Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Tony Bates as James and Theo Koundouris fought back from early troubles to take the final podium result in the Supabarn Supermarkets/Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Hallmarc Team MPC’s Marc Cini just missed the top 10 in his Audi as Valentino Astuti and Michael Bailey completed a successful return for the KMB Motorsport Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.
RAM Motorsport recovered to end the day 13th, with the Team BRM and Valmont Racing Audis retiring
Grove Racing and the Black Wolf Motorsport Mercedes-AMGs were did not start.
The Bend Motorsport Park awaits for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS for Round 2 on May 31-June 2.