The 2026 GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS season resumed in spectacular fashion at The Bend earlier this month, with fans witnessing fierce battles across every class. While the Pro-Am and Trophy categories delivered plenty of drama, the spotlight also fell on the rapidly developing SRO GT Academy contest.
As the championship’s emerging stars chased a coveted fully funded Silver Cup seat at the 2027 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, Oscar Targett enhanced his position at the top of the standings with another commanding performance.
SRO GT Academy creates new pathway for young talent
Introduced at the beginning of the 2026 season, the SRO GT Academy aims to provide young GT racers with a direct pathway to international competition. Unlike traditional championships, the academy rewards drivers for more than race finishes alone.
Instead, officials assess competitors on qualifying pace, average stint performance and sportsmanship throughout each round. Consequently, consistency and professionalism carry equal importance alongside outright speed.
The academy remains open to FIA Silver-graded drivers under the age of 30, with three GT World Challenge Australia competitors currently battling for the prestigious prize.
Targett delivers another dominant weekend
Oscar Targett arrived at The Bend leading the academy standings after a solid opening round at Phillip Island. However, the young driver elevated his performance even further in South Australia.
Competing in the #56 Kollosche AMG by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 alongside Shane Smollen, Targett immediately set the pace during qualifying. His lap of 1:42.4315 comfortably placed him ahead of fellow academy rivals Valentino Astuti and Alex Gardner.
Thereafter, Targett maintained his advantage throughout the weekend.
During Saturday’s race, he produced the fastest lap among the academy trio while also recording the strongest average stint pace. As a result, he and Smollen secured another podium finish to continue their impressive campaign.
Sunday followed a similar pattern. Once again, Targett achieved both the fastest lap and best average race pace of the eligible academy drivers, underlining his consistency across the entire event.
Maximum points extend lead
Thanks to his flawless weekend, Targett collected the maximum possible haul of 72 points from the six evaluated categories. Consequently, his overall tally climbed to 144 points after two rounds.
That performance also allowed him to open a 36-point advantage over Valentino Astuti, who currently sits second in the standings.
Astuti nevertheless enjoyed a productive weekend aboard the #2 Team MPC Audi R8 LMS EVO II shared with Darren Currie. By finishing second in all six evaluated categories, he secured 108 championship points heading into the next round.
Meanwhile, Alex Gardner continued to build momentum in the #15 Volante Rosso Motorsport Aston Martin AMR Vantage GT3. Although he trails the leading pair, Gardner still collected 42 points across the weekend to move onto 84 points overall.
Championship fight remains wide open
Despite Targett’s growing advantage, the SRO GT Academy battle remains far from settled. With four rounds still remaining and a maximum of 72 points available at each event, the standings could change quickly over the second half of the season.
Therefore, both Astuti and Gardner remain firmly within striking distance as the championship prepares for its next chapter.
The trio will return to action next month when GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS heads to Queensland Raceway as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries on 12–14 June.
Focus Turns to Queensland Raceway
Momentum currently sits with Targett, whose speed and consistency have made him the benchmark of the academy field so far. Nevertheless, the unique scoring system means every session carries major significance.
As the season progresses, the pressure will intensify for all three drivers. With a dream opportunity at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa awaiting the eventual winner, the fight for SRO GT Academy honours promises to remain one of the most compelling stories in Australian GT racing this year.
