Tom Bewley and Clay Osborne secured a double Kiwi podium in the opening Porsche Carrera Cup Australia race on the Gold Coast, overcoming wet, slippery conditions in a chaotic, safety-car-interrupted contest.
Making his debut on the Surfers Paradise street circuit, Bewley got off to a strong start by claiming his third pole position of the season and setting a new qualifying lap record of 1:10.6824, with Harri Jones alongside him on the front row and fellow Kiwi Osborne lining up third.
However, Bewley couldn’t hold on at the start, with Jones getting the better launch and moving ahead before the first corner.
Further back, Daniel Quimby struggled to get off the line from fourth, dropping towards the rear of the field as the pack worked through the opening corners. Light rain was already falling across the circuit, adding another challenge for drivers, with most of the field running on slick tyres.
The conditions quickly caught several drivers out, including Osborne, who had a frightening moment exiting the chicane on Lap 2. The Kiwi lost rear grip and began sliding but regained control and avoided the barriers, keeping himself in podium contention.
Just behind him, Angelo Mouzouris wasn’t so fortunate, losing the rear of his Porsche at the same section of the circuit and spinning into the concrete barriers, causing significant damage to the front of his car.
Pro-Am championship leader Matthew Belford also spun in the same spot, and the two incidents brought out the Safety Car in what was already a shortened race. With both cars needing recovery and debris cleared from the circuit, the caution cost valuable racing time.
By the time the Safety Car returned to the pits, there was less than two minutes remaining on the clock, leaving the field with only a brief opportunity to fight for position.
Conditions had deteriorated further during the interruption, with heavier rain making life increasingly difficult for those still running on slick tyres. Jones controlled the restart, but Bewley was right on his rear bumper, with Osborne close behind in third.
The slippery surface made for a tense final sprint to the finish, with cars sliding through corners and drivers struggling to find grip under braking and acceleration. MacDonald was another driver to fall victim to the conditions, hitting the wall and sustaining heavy damage to his Porsche.
Dylan O’Keeffe and Quimby also came together while battling for position, with Quimby struggling to slow his car in the wet conditions and clipping O’Keeffe in the braking zone.
With conditions continuing to worsen, Race Control brought the contest to an end, waving the chequered flag after only a brief period of green-flag racing following the restart.
Jones claimed the opening race victory, with Bewley crossing the line second and Osborne completing the podium in third, giving New Zealand two of the top three finishing positions.
It was a strong result for both Kiwis, particularly Bewley, who converted his first pole position on the challenging Gold Coast street circuit into another podium finish. Osborne’s third-place result was equally important as he continues his battle with David Russell for runner-up honours in the championship.
Jones, meanwhile, entered the Gold Coast weekend with a commanding 235-point championship lead and remains firmly on course to secure the title at next month’s season finale in Adelaide.
The action continues tomorrow with Race 2, where Bewley will once again start from the front row as he looks to turn his impressive qualifying pace into a race victory. For Osborne, another strong result will be crucial as the fight for second in the championship continues.
Header Image: TekworkX Motorsport
