Kiwi driver Brendon Leitch played a starring role in the opening GT World Challenge Australia race at The Bend Motorsport Park, teaming up with co-driver Sergio Pires to deliver a commanding lights-to-flag victory in the Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Driving for Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport, the pairing controlled the race from the outset after Pires secured pole position earlier in the day. The Australian driver produced a composed opening stint, quickly settling into a strong rhythm while managing pressure from the chasing pack.
Pires steadily built an advantage during the first half of the race as the battle behind intensified. A mistake from one of the key challengers shuffled the order and allowed the leading Mercedes-AMG to establish an even stronger hold on proceedings before the compulsory pit stops.
Handing the car over with a healthy margin, Leitch took over for the second stint and calmly managed the race to the chequered flag. Although the pursuing Audi of Thomas Randle and Mark Rosser reduced the gap in the closing stages, the Kiwi remained in control to secure an impressive victory in Race 1 of Round 2.
The result marked a breakthrough GT World Challenge Australia win for Pires and continued Leitch’s strong form in GT competition.
Another New Zealand driver celebrating on Saturday was Jaxon Evans, who combined with co-driver Elliott Schutte to claim a podium finish in the Ferrari 296 GT3.
Representing ARGT, the duo delivered a consistent drive to finish third after spending much of the race in the fight for the podium positions. Evans took over during the second half and successfully absorbed heavy pressure from a fast-closing Broc Feeney in the closing laps to secure the final podium spot.
The Kiwi held firm all the way to the finish line, crossing the stripe less than a second ahead after an intense battle in the closing stages.
Further back, fellow New Zealander Ryan Wood and teammate Steve Brooks finished sixth in their Audi R8 LMS EVO II after a solid run through the field.
Race 2 –
Australian pair Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti became the first crew to claim two GT World Challenge Australia victories in 2026 after producing a commanding lights-to-flag performance in Sunday’s second race at The Bend Motorsport Park, but Kiwi drivers were once again heavily involved throughout the front of the field.
Driving the Move My Wheels by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, Ojeda controlled the opening stint before handing over to Lucchitti, who withstood immense late pressure to secure the win and complete a perfect weekend for the pair.
While the race victory belonged to the Mercedes-AMG outfit, New Zealanders Brendon Leitch, Jaxon Evans, Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks all featured prominently in a fast and at times dramatic contest.
One of the biggest talking points came on the opening lap when Kiwi Ryan Wood made an aggressive start in the Team BRM / Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS EVO II, gaining two positions off the line before contact with teammate Gartnett Patterson sent Patterson spinning down the order.
The incident cost Wood momentum, dropping him behind Thomas Randle, but the young Kiwi remained firmly in the fight near the front of the field as the race settled into rhythm.
At the head of the pack, Saturday race winner Brendon Leitch slotted into second during the opening stages aboard the Geyer Valmont Racing by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3. The Southlander kept the pressure on Ojeda through the first stint while Broc Feeney sat close behind in third.
Leitch maintained a strong pace throughout his time in the car before handing over to co-driver Sergio Pires during the compulsory pit stop sequence.
The stops reshuffled parts of the order, with Steve Brooks climbing into a strong podium position after taking over from Wood in the Audi. Brooks emerged third behind leader Lucchitti and Schumacher and immediately found himself under pressure from Mark Rosser.
Despite defending hard, Brooks eventually lost the final podium place to Rosser but continued to run strongly inside the top four as the race entered its closing stages.
Further back, Jaxon Evans and co-driver Elliott Schutte quietly worked their way into contention in the Ferrari 296 GT3. After the pit stops, Schutte found himself battling Shane Smollen for fifth and, in the final laps, produced a decisive late move to steal the position on the last lap.
The pass secured an impressive fifth-place finish for Evans and Schutte after a measured and consistent drive over the race distance.
Up front, Schumacher closed rapidly on Lucchitti in the final 10 minutes and looked capable of launching a race-winning move. Lucchitti defended strongly under pressure and refused to give the reigning champions an opportunity through the closing laps.
Ojeda and Lucchitti ultimately held on to take victory ahead of Feeney and Schumacher, while Randle and Rosser completed the podium in third.
For the Kiwi contingent, Wood and Brooks narrowly missed the podium in fourth after a gritty recovery from their opening-lap drama, Evans and Schutte finished fifth following their late-race heroics, while Leitch and Pires crossed the line seventh after spending much of the opening stint fighting near the front.
GT World Challenge Australia now heads to Queensland Raceway on June 12-14 for round three of the 2026 season as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries GT Festival Queensland.
Header Image: GT World Challenge Australia
