Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher have gotten their title defence off to a perfect start after winning the opening race of the 2026 GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS.
Behind the wheel of the Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II, the pair ended up taking out the victory by less than a second after Feeney held off a fast-charging Oscar Targett in the Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Rounding out the Pro-Am podium were Thomas Randle and Mark Rosser in the Castrol Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II, with the duo eventually crossing the line a further eight tenths behind the Mercedes-AMG.
Taking out top honours in the Trophy Class were AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport’s Luke Youlden and Nathan Halstead as they steered their Porsche 911 GT3 R to a commanding 20-second win over Alex Gardner and Lee Stibbs in the Volante Rosso Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3.
The opening race of the weekend proved a faultless affair from Schumacher and Feeney as they converted their Rowe Pole Position to victory, having led for the majority of the race.
Following a frantic start that saw OnlyFans Racing’s Renee Gracie and Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport’s Paul Luchitti come together, which brought out the safety car, Schumacher remained untroubled in the opening stint as he looked to build a lead over the field once the race restarted.
Behind them, a fierce battle between ARGT’s Elliott Schutte in the Ferrari 296 GT3 and Rosser saw the former go for a pass on the inside of the latter, resulting in the two making contact and Rosser spinning out.
As a result, Schutte and co-driver Jaxon Evans were handed a 15-second penalty to be added post-race.
Despite the prospect of rain hitting the track, it never truly came as Schumacher continued to build on his lead before eventually handing the car over to Feeney, who went on to produce a race-winning stint on his outlap.
That outlap would eventually prove the difference as he built a lead of almost four seconds to Targett, who had passed Shane Smollen in the Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3.
While the SRO GT Academy driver would eventually chase down Feeney and bring the gap to within one second, he would eventually run out of time as the reigning champion held on for victory.
With Randle crossing the line within a second of Targett, Jaxon Evans was the next best driver as he reached the chequered flag a few seconds behind. However, after the time penalty that teammate Schutte received earlier in the race was applied, the ARGT Ferrari 296 GT3 dropped to fifth after Brendon Leitch managed to close the gap in the Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, and just half a second eventually separated the two.
In sixth place, a further second off, were Friday pacesetters Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks in the Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS EVO II. There was a much bigger gap between the Kiwi duo and the seventh-placed OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 of Renee Gracie and Will Davison, with 17 seconds separating the pair.
Coming in at eighth was the Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II of SRO GT Academy driver Valentino Astuti and Darren Currie, the pair finishing just half a second ahead of Youlden and Halstead. Rounding out the outright top 10 was Gardner and Stibbs, while KFC Team MPC’s Paul Stokell and Matt Stoupas just missed out on 10th, but settled for third place in the Trophy Cup.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS returns tomorrow afternoon for the final race of the GT Festival Phillip Island at 1:30pm AEDT.