GWR Australia/RAM Motorsport will return to GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS for the final two rounds of the 2026 season, with Michael Sheargold and Brett Hobson sharing the #45 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO at Sydney Motorsport Park and Adelaide.
The experienced pairing will compete in the Am Cup, marking Sheargold’s first GTWC Australia appearance since his dominant 2024 campaign and Hobson’s return to the championship after a three-year absence. Although the pair have raced together extensively in endurance competition, Sydney will mark their first GTWC Australia round as teammates.
Both drivers bring considerable experience back to the grid. Sheargold claimed the 2024 Am Sprint Cup alongside GWR Australia team boss Garth Walden, while Hobson has accumulated more than 150 race starts across a career spanning Formula Ford, Super2 and GT competition. They also shared significant endurance events together before securing another major result with the same Mercedes-AMG at the 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour.
Sheargold returns after two seasons away from GTWC Australia
Sheargold last competed in GTWC Australia during a highly successful 2024 campaign alongside Walden. Driving the same Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO that he will race with Hobson, the pair secured the Am Sprint Cup title after taking three victories, another six podiums and four pole positions.
Their advantage ultimately exceeded 50 points, while Sheargold and Walden also won the final Endurance race of the season in the Am Cup. However, Sheargold subsequently reduced his racing commitments and has not contested a GTWC Australia round for two years.
His return starts at a familiar venue before the programme moves to Adelaide for the season finale.
“It’s been two years since my last GTWC round and I’ve missed it – it’s nice to be able to come back to a circuit I know pretty well at SMSP and then Adelaide is one of the best events on the Australian motorsport calendar, I’m under no illusions about where the field is at, but I’m looking forward to it enormously,” said Sheargold.
Although Sheargold previously enjoyed considerable success in the championship, he approaches the comeback with measured expectations. GTWC Australia has continued developing since his last appearance, while a lengthy period outside a GT3 car inevitably creates another challenge as he rebuilds familiarity with the Mercedes-AMG.
Circumstances finally allow Sheargold to return
Sheargold had always intended to return when his schedule and circumstances allowed, and the final two rounds provide an opportunity to re-establish himself without immediately committing to a full championship campaign.
“I’ve always intended to get back on track when the circumstances were right, and I’m in a good spot now, so a couple of rounds at the end of 2026 felt like a fun hit out.
His return follows a racing career that has produced success primarily in GT and production car competition since his national debut in 2020. Sheargold quickly established himself in endurance racing when he joined Hobson and Oliver Shannon to win the A1 class at the 2021 Bathurst 6 Hour.
He repeated that achievement the following year alongside Shannon and Dylan O’Keeffe, while also finishing second in the GTWC Australia Am Cup. Another Bathurst 6 Hour A1 runner-up result followed in 2023 alongside third overall in the GTWC Australia Am Cup.
Those previous results mean Sheargold does not return without experience of the championship or the machinery, although he recognises that the time away remains significant.
“Garth and I won the Am Cup at Bathurst in November 2024, so the experience is there. But the field has moved on since then and two years out of a GT3 car is two years out of a GT3 car.
The final two rounds will consequently give him an opportunity to assess his current pace while rebuilding the rhythm required in GT3 machinery.
Sheargold and Hobson finally combine in GTWC Australia
Although Sheargold and Hobson have shared cars on several occasions, they have never competed together during a GTWC Australia round.
Their previous programmes have included the Bathurst 6 Hour as well as international endurance appearances. The pair joined Justin McMillan, Glen Wood and Walden for the 2025 24H Series Middle East Trophy, contesting both the Dubai 24 Hour and 6H Abu Dhabi and finishing third in class.
They had previously explored the possibility of racing a full season together, but those plans never materialised. Their Sydney and Adelaide appearances finally give them the opportunity to form a GTWC Australia partnership.
“Brett and I have done a bit of endurance racing together – Dubai 24 Hour, Bathurst 12 Hour – but never a GTWC round. He’s a great mate and there is plenty I can learn from him, we had tried to stitch a full season together in 2025 and it didn’t come to fruition, so we were both keen to finally get in the car together for a few rounds of GTWC.
Their existing relationship should help simplify the transition. Rather than bringing together two drivers unfamiliar with one another’s approaches, GWR Australia/RAM Motorsport can build on a partnership already established through several endurance programmes.
Testing gives Sheargold confidence before Sydney
The Mercedes-AMG also provides an important element of familiarity. Sheargold previously achieved considerable success with the car, while Hobson competed in it earlier this year at Bathurst.
A recent test gave Sheargold his first opportunity to properly rebuild his GT3 rhythm before returning to competition. Although he acknowledged that more performance remains available, he left the day encouraged by the progress he had made.
“The AMG is a known quantity and GWR prepare it properly. Testing went well – I’ve been out of the car a long time and I was happy with where I got back to by the end of the day. There’s more to find, it’s not quite like riding a bike but let’s just say I haven’t forgotten everything!
That approach also shapes Sheargold’s expectations for the final two rounds. Rather than immediately targeting outright results after two seasons away, he wants to rebuild his mileage, protect the car and give Hobson the strongest possible platform during his stints.
“I’m hoping to get through both weekends without hurting the car, build the laps back up, and give Brett a car in good shape for his stints. If we’re respectable on pace by the end of it, that’s the job done. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Sheargold also credited the people and partners who helped bring the programme together.
“Thanks to Brett, Garth and the GWR crew making it happen. Thanks also to Oilstar and National Make Good Solutions for supporting the return.”
Hobson returns after three-year GTWC Australia absence
Hobson also arrives back in GTWC Australia following an extended absence, having last raced regularly in the championship three years ago.
His motorsport career spans more than two decades and includes over 150 race starts in Australia and internationally. Before focusing more heavily on GT racing, Hobson competed in Australian Formula Ford and the Supercars development series between 2004 and 2008 before taking a break from competition.
He returned to Super2 in 2014 and spent another period in the category before shifting his attention elsewhere. Since the start of the decade, GT and endurance racing have increasingly formed the core of his programme.
Hobson explained that previous plans with Sheargold encountered difficulties, but the closing rounds of 2026 offered an opportunity to restart those ambitions while potentially preparing for a larger programme next season.
“After being sidelined last year due to an issue with our driver pairing and then this year to some unforeseen issues we thought it was a great time to re-visit our racing venture together to try and start aligning a program for next year,” said Hobson.
The Sydney and Adelaide rounds could therefore serve a dual purpose. They allow the pair to return to competition immediately while also providing useful information if they pursue a more substantial 2027 campaign.
Hobson eager to assess his GT pace
Despite his extensive experience, Hobson admitted that his prolonged absence from GTWC Australia created a need to return to regular competition.
*“After a three-year hiatus from the series I feel I was losing touch with my racing ability and needed to get back in the seat or I was running the risk of becoming somewhat washed up. *
His recent endurance record nevertheless provides a strong foundation. Earlier this year, Hobson joined Walden and O’Keeffe in Sheargold’s Mercedes-AMG for the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, where the trio secured a GT3 class victory.
That result came on Hobson’s fourth attempt at the Bathurst endurance race after making his debut in 2017. It also means his return to GTWC Australia follows meaningful recent mileage in the same car.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back racing with the series and feel this will be a good test run the make sure that I have not lost any of my ability in a GT car.
Rather than setting a specific finishing target, Hobson intends to push while ensuring he leaves the Mercedes-AMG in the strongest possible position for Sheargold.
“My main objective is to go out and race as hard as I can without trying to upset to many people and hand the car over to Mike in the best possible position I can manage.
Friendship underpins Sheargold-Hobson partnership
Their relationship away from the circuit also helped bring the programme together. Hobson has raced alongside Sheargold on multiple occasions, and the pair had already attempted to build a full-season campaign before circumstances prevented it.
“I really enjoy racing with Mike, we are good friends off track which makes our dynamic work, not only do I get to drive a cool race car on the weekend and also get to hangout with a mate and that’s the main reason for the return.
Their existing experience extends beyond simply sharing a garage. Both have already raced the #45 Mercedes-AMG successfully, reducing the amount of adaptation required when the programme begins at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Hobson pointed particularly to their Bathurst success when assessing the potential of the car and team.
“This is the same car that we won Pro-Am in at the Bathurst 12 this year, so my backside is somewhat familiar with the seat. I know that RAM Motorsport and GWR turnout a well prepared race car, so I feel that we have the ability to re-live some more great moments together.
That familiarity should prove useful as GWR Australia and RAM Motorsport prepare the car for two very different venues. Sydney offers Sheargold a circuit he already knows well, while Adelaide will place the pairing into the intense environment of the season finale.
Sydney provides first benchmark for returning pairing
Hobson will use the opening weekend to gauge his pace against the current GTWC Australia field after his three-year absence.
“I’m looking forward to working with the team at GWR and RAM again on race weekends. I’m keen to see where my pace ends up relative to the other competitors.”
The #45 Mercedes-AMG joins the championship’s Am field at a particularly important stage of the campaign, with Sydney serving as the penultimate round before the Adelaide finale.
For Sheargold, the programme represents a return to a championship where he achieved considerable success before reducing his racing commitments. For Hobson, it provides another opportunity to compete regularly in GT3 machinery after several years away from the series.
However, the two weekends could also provide the foundation for something longer term. Hobson has already linked the return to efforts to align a programme for next year, while both drivers now have the opportunity to test their partnership in the GTWC Australia format they had previously hoped to contest together.
Their comeback begins at Sydney Motorsport Park from 18-20 September as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries before GWR Australia/RAM Motorsport follows the championship to Adelaide for the final round of the 2026 season.
