GT World Challenge (GTWC) Australia powered by AWS kicked off its 2026 season with two dramatic Qualifying sessions at GT Festival Phillip Island, with wet conditions challenging teams across the board. Despite the tricky track, two different crews claimed the Rowe Pole Position Award: Jayden Ojeda in Qualifying 1 and Brad Schumacher in Qualifying 2.
2026 GTWC Australia: Round 1: Phillip Island: Qualifying 1: Ojeda dominates
In the opening session, teams struggled to adapt to a slippery circuit, but Ojeda kept his composure in the Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, leading the timesheets for most of the session while battling Broc Feeney.
As the track improved, Ojeda saved his best for the final laps, posting a 1:39.007 – more than seven and a half tenths faster than any other driver.
Following him was ARGT’s Jaxon Evans in the Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO with a 1:39.767 on his last lap, narrowly edging out fellow Kiwi Brendon Leitch in the Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO by just two tenths.
Will Davison impressed on debut, taking fourth in the OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO, while Feeney rounded out the top five.
In the Trophy Am class, Paul Stokell guided the KFC Audi R8 LMS EVO II to pole position, just four tenths ahead of Luke Youlden in the AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R.
2026 GTWC Australia: Round 1: Phillip Island: Qualifying 2: Schumacher tops the times
In the second session, similar wet conditions saw Kelso Electrical Team MPC’s Brad Schumacher claim the Rowe Pole Position with a penultimate lap of 1:44.629, outclassing the rest of the field.
Elliott Schutte in the ARGT Ferrari he shares with Evans finished just two and a half tenths slower, while Sergio Pires posted a solid debut, going one second off the pace in his Mercedes-AMG GT3 shared with Leitch.
For the Trophy class, series debutant Lee Stubbs set the fastest time in the Volante Rosso Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, partnered with SRO GT Academy driver Alex Gardner.
Weekend action ahead
The opening race of the weekend for GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS is scheduled for 3:55pm AEDT, promising an exciting start to the 2026 season after two wet and unpredictable Qualifying sessions. Practice concluded on Friday.
