GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS drivers have put on a masterclass performance in Qualifying on Saturday afternoon as they delivered some of Hidden Valley Raceway’s fastest-ever times.
The pace was truly set in Qualifying 1 when Josh Buchan scored Zagame Autosport’s highest-ever qualifying result and its first-ever pole position in the championship, guiding the #23 Ferrari 296 GT3 to a remarkable lap time of 1:04.375.Broc Feeney was the early benchmark in the #1 Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II, setting the pace during the opening stages before Buchan produced his pole-winning lap on his fourth flying lap of the session.
Although Buchan's time looked difficult to beat, the battle intensified in the closing minutes. Feeney reduced the margin to within a tenth of a second on his 10th lap before Ryan Wood delivered an impressive effort aboard the #88 Team BRM / Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS EVO II on his final lap to move within six-hundredths of pole.
Feeney mounted one last challenge on his final lap but ultimately fell just short of Buchan's benchmark, with less than one-tenth of a second covering the top three drivers in an incredibly close session.
Jayden Ojeda left his charge until the latter stages of qualifying, putting the #66 Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO fourth, while Alex Peroni rounded out the top five in the #268 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II.
Qualifying 2 proved just as competitive as Brad Schumacher secured pole position for Race 2 after a dramatic battle throughout the 15-minute session.Schumacher established the early benchmark before the times rapidly tumbled as the session progressed. Darren Currie briefly held provisional pole in the middle stages behind the wheel of the #2 Trading Garage / Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II before Mark Rosser elevated the #268 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II to the top of the timesheets.
Steve Brooks remained firmly in contention in the #88 Audi R8 LMS EVO II he shared with Wood throughout the session and closed to within half a tenth of a second of Rosser's leading time, before Sergio Pires put the #44 Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO into the mix, ultimately missing pole by just over a tenth.
Schumacher then produced his best lap on his 10th flying lap of Hidden Valley. Despite not being quickest through the opening sectors, the Kelso Electrical Team MPC driver delivered a superb final sector to secure the second Rowe Pole Position Award of the day for Audi.
In Trophy Class, Matt Stokell put the #24 KFC Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II back on top in Trophy Class, comfortably outpacing Nathan Halstead in the #71 AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3R by almost two seconds.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Race 1 gets underway at Hidden Valley Raceway later today, with all the action broadcast live on FOX SPORTS Australia and Kayo Sports.