The 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) Australia powered by AWS began its LIQUI MOLY GT Festival weekend at The Bend with a busy Friday of practice, as Tigani Motorsport dominated the opening session before Mark Rosser and Thomas Randle put Castrol Team BRM on top later in the day.
The trio of Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries locked out the top three in Practice 1, led by Oscar Targett and Shane Smollen in the Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG. However, Audi struck back in the later sessions, with Rosser topping Bronze Practice before Randle delivered a late lap to put the Castrol Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II fastest in Practice 2.
2026 GTWC Australia: The Bend: Tigani Motorsport locks out Practice 1
Tigani Motorsport made the strongest possible start to the weekend, with all three of its Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars topping the timesheets in the opening practice session.
Oscar Targett and Shane Smollen led the way in the Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, with Targett’s eighth-lap time of 1:45.763 remaining unbeaten throughout the session.
Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti finished second in the Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, ending the session just half a tenth behind their teammates. Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires completed the top three in the Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, setting a 1:46.357.
Audi rounded out the top five, with Mark Rosser and Thomas Randle fourth in the Castrol Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II after posting a 1:46.358. Steve Brooks and Ryan Wood followed in fifth for Team BRM / Wolfbrook Motorsport, setting a 1:46.690 in their Audi R8 LMS EVO II.
In the Trophy Cup, Luke Youlden and Nathan Halstead topped the class for AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport, placing seventh overall in their Porsche 911 GT3 R with a 1:47.079. Paul Stokell and Matthew Stoupas were second in class for KFC / Team MPC, while Volante Rosso Motorsport’s Alex Gardner and Ben Porter finished third in the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3.
2026 GTWC Australia: The Bend: Rosser leads Bronze Practice
The first Bronze Practice session of the weekend saw Mark Rosser guide the Castrol Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II to the fastest time.
Rosser spent the full 40-minute session behind the wheel of the Audi he shares with Thomas Randle, producing a best lap of 1:46.765 in the second half of the session.
Sergio Pires was second fastest in the Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO he shares with Brendon Leitch, setting a 1:47.899.
Tigani Motorsport also filled third and fourth, with Paul Lucchitti third in the Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, while Shane Smollen finished fourth in the Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 with a 1:49.001.
Renee Gracie completed the top five in the Pro-Am class for OnlyFans Racing, setting a 1:49.089 in the Ferrari 296 GT3.
In the Trophy Cup, KFC / Team MPC led the way with Paul Stokell and Matthew Stoupas in the Audi R8 LMS EVO II. Ben Porter was next best in the Volante Rosso Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, while Nathan Halstead finished third in class for AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport.
2026 GTWC Australia: The Bend: Randle delivers late Practice 2 flyer
Thomas Randle produced a late surge in the final practice session of Friday to put the Castrol Team BRM Audi R8 LMS EVO II on top.
In the dying stages of the one-hour session, Randle clocked a 1:45.591 on his final lap, moving himself and Mark Rosser to the top of the timesheets. The lap displaced the Kelso Electrical / Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II of Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher by just under three tenths of a second.
Feeney and Schumacher’s second-place result came after the pair missed the opening two sessions due to an engine change, making their Practice 2 pace an impressive recovery.
Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks completed the top three for Team BRM / Wolfbrook Motorsport, setting a 1:45.900 in their Audi R8 LMS EVO II. That result gave Audi a clean sweep of the top three positions in the final session.
Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti were fourth for Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport, trailing Wood and Brooks by three tenths, while teammates Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires rounded out the top five.
The battle between the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO entries was extremely close, with just four hundredths of a second splitting the two Tigani Motorsport cars.
Strong competition in the trophy class
In the Trophy Class, Volante Rosso Motorsport’s Alex Gardner and Ben Porter topped the session with a 1:47.771 in their Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3. They finished under two tenths clear of the AED Consulting by Tigani Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R of Luke Youlden and Nathan Halstead. Finally, Matthew Stoupas and Paul Stokell completed the Trophy Class order in the KFC / Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II with a 1:49.369.
The only major drama of the session came midway through when the Volante Rosso Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 EVO of Geoff Emery and Josh Hunt stopped on track, bringing out the red flag. The car sustained no damage and was able to continue shortly after.
Looking ahead to Qualifying
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will continue at The Bend on Saturday with a double Qualifying session at 10:15am ACST, before the race takes place later in the day at 4:20pm.
