GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS has enjoyed its first Qualifying session for the 2026 season, with two different crews securing the Rowe Pole Position Award at GT Festival Phillip Island.
With the weather wreaking havoc on both sessions, it was Jayden Ojeda who got the best of the conditions in Qualifying 1 in the Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, while Kelso Electrical Team MPC’s Brad Schumacher secured Rowe Pole Position in Qualifying 2.
Teams had plenty of trouble adapting to the wet circuit in Qualifying 1; however, Ojeda remained at the top of the timesheets for the majority of the session, battling hard with Schumacher’s teammate Broc Feeney.
As the session wore on, the track began to get faster, as Ojeda saved his best for last, with a time of 1:39.007 proving more than seven and a half tenths faster than any other driver.
Going second fastest for the session was ARGT’s Jaxon Evans, who steered his Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO to a time of 1:39.767 on his final lap, eclipsing fellow Kiwi Brendon Leitch in the Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO by just two tenths of a second.
With Will Davison soaring to fourth fastest on debut in the OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO, a further four tenths off the pace, Feeney rounded out the top five for the session.
In the Trophy Am Class, Feeney’s Team MPC teammate Paul Stokell guided the KFC Audi R8 LMS EVO II to pole position, edging out Luke Youlden in the AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R by four tenths.
Taking out Rowe Pole Position Award honours in Qualifying 2 in similar conditions was Schumacher, who managed to outclass the rest of the field with his penultimate lap of 1:44.629.
Finishing two and a half tenths off Schumacher was Elliott Schutte in the ARGT Ferrari he shares with Evans, while Sergio Pires had a solid first qualifying for the year, going one second slower than the Ferrari in his Mercedes-AMG GT3 he shares with Leitch.
Taking out top spot for the Trophy class was series debutant Lee Stubbs in the Volante Rosso Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 he shares with SRO GT Academy driver Alex Gardner.
The first race of the weekend for GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will take place at 3:55pm AEDT.