Accomplished amateur driver Ash Samadi will make a return to Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, partnering with reigning championship-winning team Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia.
In what will be a number of entries set to be rolled out by the crack Audi squad, Samadi will compete in the full season in the Am class, driving the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2.
Samadi's new look R8 will feature his traditional 'lion' livery, a constant in his motorsport journey.
Samadi is a veteran of GT racing in Australia having made the transition during the mid-2000s racing Porsches before entering a Mosler MT900 GT3 in 2010, finishing a best of fifth in the championship a year later.
Samadi has spent the past decade sharing his time between Porsche Carrera Cup and GT racing, and after just a part GT World Challenge Australia program last year, Samadi is back full time with the Audi squad in 2024.
The Bathurst 12 Hour has been a regular event for Samadi, highlighted by finishing second in the Am Class at the 2017 edition.
Samadi also ran a round in Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS at Sepang last year with the aid of Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia.
In Australia last year, Samadi’s results were impressive among a highly competitive Am Class field, scoring podiums at Queensland Raceway.
Samadi will get reacquainted with the Audi at Phillip Island on Monday for his first test of the year ahead of the opening sprint round for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will be at the Island circuit as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries on April 12-14.
QUOTES
Ash Samadi
#22 Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2
“This year with the new SRO Australia management and structure, it’s very exciting,” said Samadi.
“I’m pretty positive about the category and excited to contest the entire series.
“It’s going more towards the GT World Challenge Asia way of running things, which is good and something that I’m keen for.
“We are pretty proud of the results from last year, and it's great to link up with the Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia team. The team does an excellent job as the biggest operation in terms of GT racing locally. The team did a brilliant job last season and for my first round in Asia as well, so full marks to them.
“We had a couple of podiums last year and my aim is to add a few more as I try to run as high as I can in Am Class. If this year we can better last season, I will be happy.
“I love driving the Audi. It’s suited for my sort of driving in it being very active and I’m keen to stay with Audi. I started off in the Mosler, but have been on and off in the category for around 15 years.
“I think GT is home for me, it’s where I feel like I belong.”