After making an impressive GT debut in Monochrome GT4 Australia last year, JP Drake will take the step up to GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS at the upcoming LIQUI MOLY GT Festival The Bend.
The South Australian will be joined by long-time mentor and friend Garnet Patterson for his first ever run in a GT3-spec car, with the pair to tackle the Pro-Am class behind the wheel of the Team BRM prepared Audi R8 LMS EVO II.
Drake has had a steady rise since making his national car racing debut more than a decade ago, featuring in categories such as Australian Prototype Series, Australian Formula 4 and Radical Cup Australia.
One of his most recent national exploits was the once-off appearance in Monochrome GT4 Australia last year at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, where he and Loclan Hennock guided a Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4 to sixth and seventh in their respective class.
That brief stint was enough to ignite a desire to make the step up to GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS with the popular South Australian confident of his ability to adapt to the series.
Drake is a proven race winner amongst a number of his other categories, which includes back-to-back Australian Prototype Series titles in 2022 and 2023 following dominant campaigns.
Of course for the whole of his career, Drake has been under the watchful eye of Patterson as his driver coach – the highly respected international driver having spent lots of time as a mentor.
Patterson has raced in some of the top GT and LMP Series around the world, with his resume including appearances in a variety of GT World Challenge powered by AWS categories, European Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup Series and Asian Le Mans Endurance Series.
In that time, the New South Welshman has enjoyed plenty of success behind the wheel - including his most recent success that saw him win this month's highly regarded British GT Championship Silverstone 500 alongside fellow Aussie Yasser Shahin, while he had a solid run at this year’s Meguiar's Bathurst 12 Hour alongside Ben Barnicoat and Marvin Kirchhöfer in the Optimum Motorsport #95 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.
Patterson has also enjoyed success in the Asian Le Mans, with almost a handful of podiums over the years along with an impressive LMGT3 podium in last year’s European Le Mans Series, while producing a number of victories and podiums on home soil in GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS.
Drake and Patterson will make their GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS debuts together at next week’s LIQUI MOLY GT Festival The Bend as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries.
The second Shannons SpeedSeries event for the year, takes place at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park on 8-10 May.
QUOTES
JP Drake
#666 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II
“I’m absolutely stoked to be making my GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS debut at The Bend. It’s something I’ve been looking at for a long time, but now that the opportunity’s come up, I’m just pumped to be part of it,” Drake said.
“Running in Monochrome GT4 Australia really gave me the confidence to take this step. I went in thinking it would be a completely different style of car and driving to what I’m used to, but the fundamentals are very similar and that gave me the belief that I can be competitive.
“Having Garnet alongside me is a huge boost. He’s been a big part of my journey so far, and having that continuity as I step into something new is really important. It’s great to have someone in your corner who understands how you work and can help guide you through those early stages.
“I also think joining Team BRM is a fantastic opportunity. They’ve got a strong history and a really experienced lineup, so there’s a lot to learn. I was lucky enough to get some laps in the Audi earlier, which ultimately gave me the confidence to commit to this program.
“While I am someone who always wants to win, I know this is a big step and there’s a lot to learn – from the car itself to race procedures like pit stops and driver changes, so I am realistic in my expectations.
“More than anything, I’m just really looking forward to the challenge. It’s a fantastic category, and this feels like the right place for me to keep developing, especially with an eye on doing more GT racing in the future.”
Garnet Patterson
#666 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II
“It’s really exciting to be joining JP as he makes the move into GT3 competition – especially since I’ve worked closely with him for a number of years in a coaching capacity during his time in prototypes, where he’s achieved some strong results,” Patterson said.
“With the car arriving close to the event, it means preparation has been a little compressed, so we’ll be using the early part of the event to get comfortable with the package and build our rhythm. There’s always a learning curve with a new car, especially in a category as competitive as this.
“Fortunately, we’re heading to a circuit we both know well, which will definitely help fast-track that process. Familiarity with the track allows us to focus more on understanding the car and refining our approach across the weekend.
“I’m confident JP will come up to speed quickly. He’s shown he can adapt well, and once he settles in, I think we’ll be in a good position to build pace and consistency together.”