Arise Racing GT is putting its trust in its Bronze-rated drivers ahead of a crucial test day at Queensland Raceway on Friday.
Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS championship leader Liam Talbot and his stablemate Elliott Schutte will take the reins of the team’s Ferrari 296 GT3 at The Paperclip on Friday, getting valuable seat time and set-up information ahead of Round 3 at the Queensland venue next month.
The team’s ‘Pro’ drivers – Chaz Mostert and Jaxon Evans – are unavailable to test due to a clash of commitments with their Supercars duties in Sydney this week.
Team principal Jordan Oon says that giving Talbot and Schutte a full day of testing will deliver huge benefits for the Ferrari squad.
“It’s a really good track for Liam and Elliott to get seat times in the cars,” said Oon.
“We have been limited with the amount of testing between rounds, so some extra seat time for the two pre-event will be a big benefit.
“They are excited to get some extra laps in the car. In Pro-Am, the Bronze driver is really the one who can make the difference. Typically, the Pros get in and drive and are all very matched on pace. That’s not always the case for the AMs, so these test days are crucial.
Talbot and Mostert currently lead the title charge, just seven points clear of the ultra fast Audi of Brad Schumacher and Will Brown.
Schutte and Evans sit fourth overall, but only 20 points shy of their title leading Ferrari team-mates.
Oon says that he has been pleased with the start to the season, and more so, excited by the speed of his Bronze drivers.
“We always knew that Liam would be strong with the amount of experience he has in GT cars,” said Oon.
“And Elliott has really surprised us. He first drove a GT proper only at the start of this year, so his development curve has been outstanding.
“We’ve really enjoyed the season so far. The team has a good vibe, and there’s a bit of competition with Liam and Elliott which is nice. It’s helping us drive forward.”
Also testing at Queensland Raceway this week ahead of the round proper on August 2-4 is Melbourne Performance Centre with two of its Audis. Third placed championship fighters Tim Miles and Brendon Leitch will be on track, as will Renee Gracie and Paul Stokell in the OnlyFans R8 LMS GT3 Evo2.
Round 3 of Fanatec GT Australia will be run at Queensland Raceway on August 2-4, supported by Monochrome GT4 Australia. All qualifying and race sessions will be broadcast live and free on 7plus (in Australia), while international viewers can tune in on the GT World YouTube channel.