New Zealand drivers were at the forefront of the action during GT World Challenge Australia’s visit to Queensland Raceway, with strong performances from Brendon Leitch, Ryan Wood, Steve Brooks and Jaxon Evans across a weekend packed with pace, podiums and championship implications.
From the opening practice sessions through to Sunday’s final race, Kiwi competitors consistently featured near the top of the timesheets and ultimately claimed multiple podium finishes.
The weekend began positively for Jaxon Evans and co-driver Elliott Schutte, who topped the opening practice session in their Ferrari 296 GT3. Evans laid down the benchmark lap early in the session and remained unbeaten as the field chased the pace throughout the hour.
Not far behind were Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks, who finished fifth in the Team BRM/Wolfbrook Motorsport Audi R8 LMS EVO II, showing encouraging speed from the outset.
The momentum continued later in the day when Wood and Brooks emerged as the fastest combination in the final practice session. Wood produced a stunning lap during his stint to put the Audi at the top of the timesheets with a 1:06.924, giving the Kiwi pairing confidence heading into qualifying.
Evans and Schutte also remained in the mix, ending the final practice session fifth quickest despite a challenging start to the hour.
Saturday qualifying belonged largely to Tigani Motorsport, but one of the standout performances came from Brendon Leitch.
In the opening qualifying session, Leitch secured a front-row start in the #44 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, missing pole position by little more than a tenth of a second. His effort ensured the New Zealander would be firmly in contention when the lights went out for Race 1.
The second qualifying session saw Leitch’s teammate Sergio Pires place the car third on the grid, keeping the Mercedes squad in a strong position for both races.
While Evans, Wood and Brooks were unable to challenge for pole, all three remained well positioned inside a highly competitive field.
The opening race of the weekend produced the first breakthrough result for the Kiwi contingent.
After an impressive opening stint from Renee Gracie and a controlled drive from Will Davison, the Ferrari pairing secured victory and Ferrari’s first overall GT World Challenge Australia win of the season.
Behind them, Leitch and Pires delivered a composed performance to secure third place and a valuable podium finish.
Leitch inherited the car in podium contention following the pit stops and remained under pressure all the way to the chequered flag. The margin was incredibly tight, with the Mercedes crossing the line less than a tenth of a second behind second place.
Evans and Schutte narrowly missed joining Leitch on the podium. The Ferrari duo finished fourth, just half a second behind the #44 Mercedes after a strong recovery through the pit stop sequence.
Wood and Brooks also secured a solid result, although they were unable to convert their practice pace into a podium challenge and spent much of the race battling in the crowded midfield fight.
Sunday’s second race belonged to Leitch and Pires. Starting from the front row, Leitch produced one of the drives of the weekend. The New Zealander launched into the lead at the opening corner and immediately began building an advantage over the chasing pack.
Once clear at the front, Leitch controlled the race and steadily extended his margin, opening a lead of almost eight seconds before handing the Mercedes over during the compulsory pit stop window.
His outstanding opening stint provided the platform for victory, with Pires completing the job during the second half of the race.
Behind the winners, more Kiwi success followed.
Wood and Brooks produced a superb drive to secure second place. The Audi pairing capitalised on late-race opportunities and maintained strong pace throughout the race to claim their first podium result of the weekend.
Evans and Schutte completed an impressive Kiwi haul by finishing third. The Ferrari briefly held second place following the pit stops before a small off-track excursion allowed Brooks through. Evans and Schutte ultimately settled for third but still secured a valuable podium finish.
The result meant New Zealand drivers occupied all three places on the overall podium, highlighting the strength of Kiwi talent in the category.
The victory carried significant championship implications.
Leitch and Pires left Queensland Raceway having strengthened their title credentials and moved to the top of the GT World Challenge Australia standings.
Their win, combined with Saturday’s podium finish, delivered a highly successful weekend and established a championship lead heading into the next round.
For Wood and Brooks, the weekend demonstrated the pace of their Audi package, with the pair topping practice and finishing on the Race 2 podium.
Evans and Schutte also enjoyed a productive event, topping the opening practice session before securing fourth and third-place finishes across the two races.
Overall, Queensland Raceway proved to be a memorable weekend for New Zealand drivers, with Leitch leading the charge through a race victory and championship lead, while Wood, Brooks and Evans all played major roles in one of the strongest Kiwi showings of the GT World Challenge Australia season.
Header Image: GT World Challenge Australia
