EMA Motorsport confirms GTWC Australia entry
After the successful outing at the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this month, Melbourne-based EMA Motorsport will further expand its racing plans with Porsche Customer Racing in Australia into the 2023 season.
The 911 (991.2) GT3 R which scored an outright podium at Mount Panorama will take on a full season entry into Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS.
At the wheel will be the exciting driver partnership of reigning champion Yasser Shahin, and the team’s recently confirmed driver for the 2023 Carrera Cup charge, Garnet Patterson.
This announcement by EMA Motorsport follows confirmation of wider racing plans with the Porsche brand for 2023, which includes both domestic and European racing. In Australia, the entry into GT World Challenge Australia sees the team looking to build on its debut outing at Bathurst, building on its GT3 presence. This will run in parallel with the recently confirmed expansion to a two-car entry into the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship which will see Garnet race alongside Chris Pither.
Meanwhile, in Europe the team has extended the collaboration with Porsche specialists, Manthey, and the German-Australian relationship will continue to work together as Manthey EMA. The team will take on select rounds of the NLS calendar this year, as well as the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the full German DTM championship.
Increased track time for World Challenge Australia teams
Competitors in GT World Challenge Australia will enjoy more track time at each round of the 2023 season.
Ahead of the opening round at Mount Panorama as part of the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour, it has been confirmed that in three of the six GT rounds, more pre-race track time will be made available.
The six-round 2023 calendar will see an even split between Shannons SpeedSeries and Supercars events, and at the Bathurst season opener, competitors will enjoy two 60-minute practice sessions on Friday – a taste of the extra track time they will receive during the season.
For the other two Shannons SpeedSeries GT events at Phillip Island and Queensland Raceway, 45-minute practice sessions will take place at both venues.
Round 2 in Perth (supporting the Supercars) will feature a pair of 40-minute practice sessions, a format which will continue at Sydney Motorsport Park and the finale at Adelaide Parklands Street Circuit also supporting Supercars.
Pirelli to provide pole awards for GT World Challenge Australia
The Pirelli Pole Award will be presented to Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS competitors in 2023, starting at the opening round at the Bathurst 6 Hour over Easter.
Each Pirelli Pole Award will be presented to the fastest driver in each 20-minute Q1 and Q2 segments. Q1 will once again be contested by the Bronze-ranked drivers where the grid for Race 1 is decided. The higher-rated drivers, if in a pairing, will take part in Q2 to set the starting line-up for the second race of the weekend.
Not only will the Pirelli Pole Award be won by the outright fastest in Q1 and Q2, but contenders in GT3 Trophy and GT4 are set to also compete for the prize if the minimum entry of three is reached.
The winner will receive a $1000 pole voucher to be used as a $500 discount on both their next Pirelli tyre order and entry fee.
Docker and Mutch join Paddock Motorsport for GT Cup
Paddock Motorsport will return to the GT Cup Championship this season, fielding a single McLaren 570S GT4 for experienced racer Tim Docker and 2021 McLaren Driver Development Programme Shootout finalist Gordie Mutch.
Paddock has been a regular in the GT Cup ranks since its formation in 2021 and will continue its presence in the series with a 570S GT4. The team will twin the programme with its commitments in the British GT Championship, where it is running both GT3 and GT4-spec McLarens.
Docker and Mutch will compete in the GTH class, which caters for GT4-spec machinery.
The opening round of the GT Cup Championship takes place at Donington Park on April 1/2 as part of a seven-round championship, with each race weekend featuring a mixture of sprint and endurance races.
Morris returns to GT racing with RAM
Former Bentley factory driver Seb Morris will make a return to GT racing this year, after being confirmed as teammate to GT4 driver Charles Dawson in the GT Cup Championship with RAM Racing.
Welsh 26-year-old Morris, who resides in Chester, is thrilled to be back in GT action for 2023 after being drafted in as Dawson’s team-mate for selected rounds of the UK-based series, to drive a Mercedes-AMG GT4. It will be the former British GT Champion’s first drive in a Meredes GT car.
Additional race outings are planned for Morris with the RAM Racing squad, with the Welshman also set to assist Dawson with a GT3 testing programme.
“I really am looking forward to my first experience of GT Cup and I want to express my gratitude to Charles [Dawson] for reaching out with this great opportunity,” said Morris. “I can’t wait to get started and to bring all of the experience I’ve gained from British GT, the GT World Challenge, International GT Challenge, 24H Series and the Rolex 24 at Daytona – among others!
“Obviously the GT4 car will be a little different to get used to from GT3, but I’m buzzing to be back on track this season with a fresh challenge in the Mercedes-AMG. My priority as the pro driver is to bring Charles on as much as I can, and provide him with a benchmark to work towards, and also assist with his plans for GT3 testing as the year progresses.”
The opening meeting of the 2023 GT Cup Championship season is scheduled for this weekend.
Images courtesy of EMA Motorsport, RAM Racing and Paddock Motorsport
