The 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) Australia powered by AWS season continues this weekend as the championship visits Hidden Valley Raceway for the first time.
Thirteen cars will tackle the Darwin circuit across two one-hour races during Round 4. The historic Northern Territory debut follows a dramatic Queensland Raceway weekend that produced another major change at the top of the Pro-Am standings.
Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires now lead the championship for Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport. However, only 13 points cover the leading four pairings, while Audi, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche will face hot and humid conditions during an important stage of the campaign.
Leitch and Pires take championship lead into Darwin
Leitch and Pires arrive at Hidden Valley with a nine-point advantage following their strongest weekend of the season at Queensland Raceway.
The #44 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO pairing entered the previous round fifth in the standings. However, a victory and another podium promoted them to the championship lead and placed Tigani Motorsport in control of the Pro-Am fight.
Nevertheless, their position remains far from secure. Tigani Motorsport teammates Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti occupy second in the #66 Move My Wheels Mercedes-AMG, only nine points behind.
Reigning champions Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher sit another three points adrift in the #1 Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II. Therefore, the defending title winners remain within 12 points of the championship lead.
Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte follow only one point behind Feeney and Schumacher. The #26 ARGT Ferrari 296 GT3 pairing has maintained a consistent challenge throughout the opening three rounds and remains firmly involved in the title fight.
As a result, Hidden Valley could produce another significant championship swing. The circuit will present an unfamiliar challenge for every crew, while the demanding conditions will place further pressure on tyre management, driver preparation and reliability.
Hidden Valley presents a new test for GTWC Australia
GTWC Australia has never previously raced in the Northern Territory.
The championship will join the LIQUI MOLY GT Festival Darwin at Hidden Valley Raceway from 24–26 July, with Races 1 and 2 also forming the seventh and eighth individual contests of the season.
Darwin’s heat and humidity will create a demanding environment across the weekend. Drivers must manage cockpit temperatures during the one-hour races, while teams will monitor tyre performance, cooling and mechanical reliability.
Furthermore, the unfamiliar venue could reward crews that adapt quickly during Friday’s two practice sessions. Qualifying will then play a crucial role on Saturday, with each driver receiving only 15 minutes to determine the grids for the two races.
The championship battle adds further importance to that preparation. A difficult qualifying session could leave one of the leading pairings exposed, while a clean weekend could transform the order before the series heads to Sydney Motorsport Park.
Audi brings six-car Hidden Valley entry
Audi remains the most heavily represented manufacturer on the grid, with six R8 LMS EVO IIs spread across the Pro-Am and Trophy classes.
Feeney and Schumacher lead the marque’s challenge as they attempt to reclaim the championship lead. The reigning champions lost ground during the Queensland round but remain close enough to respond immediately in Darwin.
Meanwhile, Valentino Astuti and Darren Currie continue their consistent campaign in the #2 Team MPC Audi. Astuti also remains involved in the SRO GT Academy contest, which offers a fully funded entry into the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.
Matthew Stoupas and Paul Stokell represent Melbourne Performance Centre in Trophy Class. The #24 KFC Team MPC crew will aim to strengthen its title challenge against the sole Porsche entry.
Team BRM provides the remaining three Audis. Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks continue in the #88 Wolfbrook Motorsport car, while Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser return in the #268 entry.
Garnet Patterson and John-Paul Drake complete the six-car Audi contingent in the #666 Team BRM entry. The pair return to GTWC Australia after making their first appearance of the season at The Bend.
Audi entries
- #1 Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher – Pro-Am
- #2 Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Valentino Astuti and Darren Currie – Pro-Am
- #24 KFC Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Matthew Stoupas and Paul Stokell – Trophy
- #88 Team BRM/Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks – Pro-Am
- #268 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser – Pro-Am
- #666 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Garnet Patterson and John-Paul Drake – Pro-Am
Ferrari trio remains central to Pro-Am fight
Ferrari brings three 296 GT3s to Hidden Valley, led by championship contenders Evans and Schutte.
The ARGT pairing sits fourth in the standings but remains only 13 points behind Leitch and Pires. Moreover, just one point separates the Ferrari crew from reigning champions Feeney and Schumacher.
Therefore, another consistent weekend could move Evans and Schutte further up the order. However, they must also maximise their qualifying pace as the championship’s leading Mercedes-AMG and Audi pairings attempt to establish control.
Josh Buchan and Cameron Campbell continue in Zagame Autosport’s #23 Ferrari. The pair has shown encouraging pace but continues to search for its first podium together.
A breakthrough at Hidden Valley would strengthen their campaign and give Ferrari another crew capable of influencing the title contenders.
Meanwhile, Will Davison and Renee Gracie arrive with confidence following an impressive Queensland round. The #181 OnlyFans Racing pairing claimed victory in the opening race at Queensland Raceway and will now target another strong result in Darwin.
Their recent success adds further depth to Ferrari’s challenge. All three entries have the potential to compete near the front, which could prove significant during a weekend where the leading championship crews remain closely matched.
Ferrari entries
- #23 Zagame Autosport Ferrari 296 GT3 – Josh Buchan and Cameron Campbell – Pro-Am
- #26 ARGT Ferrari 296 GT3 – Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte – Pro-Am
- #181 OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 – William Davison and Renee Gracie – Pro-Am
Mercedes-AMG controls top two championship positions
Mercedes-AMG enters Round 4 with considerable momentum after Tigani Motorsport moved its two leading entries into first and second in the standings.
Leitch and Pires headline the manufacturer’s three-car attack. Their Queensland performance placed the #44 Geyer Valmont Racing entry at the top of the championship, but they now face the challenge of protecting that position for the first time.
Ojeda and Lucchitti remain their closest rivals in the #66 Mercedes-AMG. The pair has already demonstrated strong race-winning pace this season and can reclaim the lead with another successful weekend.
Although the two crews share the same Tigani Motorsport operation, both remain direct championship competitors. Therefore, the team must support two separate title challenges while also managing the strategic demands of the Hidden Valley races.
Oscar Targett and Shane Smollen complete the Mercedes-AMG line-up in the #56 Kollosche AMG entry.
Smollen returns after missing the Queensland round, restoring the car’s established driver pairing. Meanwhile, Targett will aim to strengthen his SRO GT Academy campaign as he pursues the opportunity to compete at the 24 Hours of Spa.
Mercedes-AMG entries
- #44 Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO – Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires – Pro-Am
- #56 Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO – Oscar Targett and Shane Smollen – Pro-Am
- #66 Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO – Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti – Pro-Am
Porsche pairing targets Trophy Class progress
Porsche holds the final place on the manufacturer list through Tigani Motorsport’s #71 AED Consulting entry.
Luke Youlden and Nathan Halstead will once again share the Porsche 911 GT3 R as they continue their Trophy Class campaign.
The experienced pairing faces direct competition from the #24 Audi of Stoupas and Stokell. With only two Trophy entries at Hidden Valley, reliability and clean race execution will prove particularly important.
Any retirement or significant delay could create a substantial points swing. Therefore, Youlden and Halstead must combine speed with consistency across both one-hour races as they attempt to reduce the deficit to their class rivals.
Porsche entry
- #71 AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2) – Luke Youlden and Nathan Halstead – Trophy
Full 2026 GTWC Australia Hidden Valley entry list
- #1 Kelso Electrical Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher – Pro-Am
- #2 Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Valentino Astuti and Darren Currie – Pro-Am
- #23 Zagame Autosport Ferrari 296 GT3 – Josh Buchan and Cameron Campbell – Pro-Am
- #24 KFC Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Matthew Stoupas and Paul Stokell – Trophy
- #26 ARGT Ferrari 296 GT3 – Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte – Pro-Am
- #44 Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO – Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires – Pro-Am
- #56 Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO – Oscar Targett and Shane Smollen – Pro-Am
- #66 Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO – Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti – Pro-Am
- #71 AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2) – Luke Youlden and Nathan Halstead – Trophy
- #88 Team BRM/Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks – Pro-Am
- #181 OnlyFans Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 – William Davison and Renee Gracie – Pro-Am
- #268 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser – Pro-Am
- #666 Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II – Garnet Patterson and John-Paul Drake – Pro-Am.
Weekend schedule and viewing information
Friday will feature two full-field practice sessions and a separate Bronze Practice. The drivers will then contest two 15-minute qualifying sessions on Saturday before the opening one-hour race.
Race 2 will begin on Sunday morning after the second public grid walk.
FOX SPORTS Australia and Kayo Sports will broadcast the Saturday and Sunday action live for viewers in Australia. International audiences can follow the weekend through the GT World YouTube channel.
Friday 24 July
- Free Practice 1 – 12:50pm–1:50pm
- Bronze Practice – 3:30pm–4:10pm
- Free Practice 2 – 5:25pm–6:25pm
Saturday 25 July
- Qualifying 1 – 11:40am–11:55am
- Qualifying 2 – 12:05pm–12:20pm
- Public Grid Walk – 3:20pm–3:40pm
- Race 1 – 3:45pm–4:45pm
Sunday 26 July
- Public Grid Walk – 9:45am–10:05am
- Race 2 – 10:10am–11:10am
All times ACST.
Hidden Valley set to shape GTWC Australia title battle
GTWC Australia’s first visit to Hidden Valley arrives at a crucial stage of the championship.
Leitch and Pires hold the lead, but Ojeda and Lucchitti remain only nine points behind. Feeney and Schumacher sit another three points adrift, while Evans and Schutte follow just one point further back.
Therefore, the leading four crews cannot afford a difficult weekend. Two strong results could establish a clearer title favourite, while one retirement could quickly reverse the order again.
The new circuit and challenging climate also add uncertainty. Audi brings the largest numerical presence, Mercedes-AMG controls the first two championship positions, Ferrari remains firmly involved in the fight, and Porsche continues its Trophy Class challenge.
With 13 cars, four manufacturers and two closely contested class battles, the championship’s Northern Territory debut could provide another decisive chapter in the 2026 season.
