It was a statement of intent from Arise Racing GT at Sydney Motorsport Park as Jaxon Evans and Elliot Schutte stormed to back-to-back pole positions across both GT World Challenge Australia qualifying sessions, setting up a dream weekend for the Kiwi-Aussie duo.
But while the front row might be locked in, the path to it was anything but smooth—featuring lightning laps, flying Kiwis, and a dramatic red flag that brought Qualifying 1 to a premature close.
Qualifying 1 – The Battle for Race 2 Pole Ends in Chaos
The first qualifying session—setting the grid for Sunday’s Race 2—unfolded in electric fashion as the field immediately went to work under the Sydney morning sun.
Tasmanian talent Alex Peroni came out swinging in his Audi R8, firing in a sharp 1:27.2722 before bettering it with a scorching 1:26.2536, setting the early pace and looking like the man to beat.
New Zealand’s Ryan Wood, sitting in 7th, threw down the gauntlet by blasting to the top with a flyer that displaced Peroni by a commanding four-tenths of a second.
Not long after, Broc Feeney inserted himself into the fight, locking in second place—two-tenths off the flying Kiwi.
Then came Jaxon Evans and, with him, a lap that stunned the paddock. Evans laid down an impressive 1:26.053, the fastest of the session—only to have the moment eclipsed by an incident moments later.
Matt Stoupas, approaching Turn 1 at over 240 km/h, lost control in a massive off that saw him hurtle off track and into the tyre barrier in a dramatic slide. The red flags flew immediately, freezing the order and ending the session prematurely.
Caught out by the red flag were several contenders.
Brendon Leitch, who had finally found rhythm in his Audi R8 machine, was on a personal-best flyer, completing purple sector 1 when the red flag shut him down—he’d have to settle for 7th.
Likewise, Thomas Randle was on a charge when the session ended, leaving the Supercars regular stranded at the back of the grid for Race 1.
Jayden Ojeda also gambled on a late-session flyer, banking on improved track conditions. The gamble backfired, and with no time logged before the red flag, Ojeda was left down in 14th.
When the dust settled, it was Evans and Schutte on pole for Sunday’s race, ahead of the combination of Tony D’Alberto and Broc Feeney. Wood and Steve Brooks secured P4, while Leitch and Tim Miles will launch from P7.
The drama didn’t stop with the red flag. As marshals rushed to the scene, smoke came from the rear of Stoupas’s Audi, which had come to rest on the grass after the high-speed off at Turn 1.
The damage appeared extensive, and with the clock ticking, the car is unlikely to return for any of the remaining qualifying sessions this weekend.
Qualifying 2 – A Night Under the Lights, Led by Arise Racing GT
Qualifying Session 2 got underway to determine the starting grid for Race 1, set to unfold later tonight under the lights at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Elliot Schutte continued the commanding form in the Arise Racing GT Ferrari.
The Australian driver set the early benchmark with a 1:26.8634 before digging even deeper to shave off another two-tenths with a 1:26.6820, comfortably securing the provisional pole for Race 1.
The fight behind Schutte was fierce. Kiwi driver Steve Brooks briefly held second early in the session, but as the field found pace, he was pushed down the order. He ultimately settled for 10th fastest with a 1:28.4381, meaning he and co-driver Ryan Wood will start Race 1 from the fifth grid row.
Renee Gracie turned heads with an impressive performance, jumping to P2 and later improving again to sit just one-tenth behind Schutte—an outstanding feat for the Am Cup contender.
Meanwhile, Brad Schumacher surged into third, four-tenths off the pole mark.
Leitch’s co-driver Tim Miles steadily improved throughout the session, eventually logging a 1:27.8834 to claim 6th on the grid, ensuring a competitive starting spot for the Miles-Leitch pairing under the Sydney floodlights.
The final order locked in Evans and Schutte on pole for the first race, sealing a clean sweep of front-row starts across both sessions—a commanding statement from Arise Racing GT as the duo aim for double glory.
Header Image: Arise Racing GT
