View source for GT World Challenge Australia

{{Short description|National championship for grand tourer sports cars in Australia}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox motorsport championship
| logo            = GT World Challenge Australia logo.png
| pixels          = 200px
| caption         = 
| category        = [[Sports car racing]]
| inaugural2      = [[1960 Australian GT Championship|1960]]
| drivers         = 49
| teams           = 
| constructors    = 
| tyres           =[[Pirelli]] 
| engines         = 
| country/region  = {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Australia]]
| folded          = 
| champion driver = {{flagicon|AUS}} Liam Talbot<br/>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Chaz Mostert]]
| champion team   ={{flagicon|AUS}} Melbourne Performace Center 
| manufacturer    = 
| current_season  = {{CURRENTYEAR}} GT World Challenge Australia
| website         = {{URL|https://www.gt-world-challenge-australia.com/}}
}}

The '''GT World Challenge Australia''', formerly known as the '''Australian GT Championship''', is a [[Motorsport Australia]]-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races. The categories which have contested the championship have not always been well defined and often have become a home for cars orphaned by category collapse or a sudden change in regulation.

As of 2024, the series uses the international [[Group GT3|GT3]] rules.

For 2025, the GT World Challenge will be the headline category of a national race series organised by the category promoters, [[SRO Motorsports Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-18 |title=SRO Motorsports Australia calendar finalised for 2025 |url=https://motorsport.org.au/media/news/detail/2024/10/18/sro-motorsports-australia-calendar-finalised-for-2025/ |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=Motorsport Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Australian GT championship logo.jpg|thumb|Australian GT Championship logo]]

===Appendix K===
[[File:Centaur-Graham-Ruckert.jpg|thumb|The 1962 Championship winning Centaur [[Waggott Engineering|Waggott]] of John French]]
In the first era the championship races were open to closed roof cars (not necessarily production based) complying with CAMS Appendix K regulations. Appendix K catered for modified production [[Grand tourer|Grand Touring cars]] (such as [[Lotus Elite]]), [[Sports car racing|sports cars]] (such as [[Jaguar D-Type]]) fitted with roofs, specials (such as the Centaur [[Waggott Engineering|Waggott]]) and touring cars modified beyond the limits of the then current [[Appendix J Touring Cars|Appendix J]] regulations. Numbers dropped rapidly away as the years went on and both the category and the championship were discontinued at the end of 1963.

===GT and Sports Sedan===
From 1976 to 1981 the [[Australian Sports Car Championship]] had been contested by [[Group D Production Sports Cars]]. The re-introduction of [[Group A Sports Cars]] in 1982 saw Group D needing a new home. The Australian GT Championship was re-introduced as a home for both Group D and Group B Sports Sedans of the [[Australian Sports Sedan Championship]] (ASSC). The category was something of a hybrid with European racing cars, American IMSA racers and wide variety of Australian Sports Sedans competing together. One major difference between the Sports Sedans and GT cars was that the Sports Sedans were restricted to 10" wheels where as the GT cars were allowed up to 18" of rubber. Although many of the top V8 sports sedans had similar power to the GT cars, the difference in rubber on the road saw the GT cars able to get their power to the ground much more efficiently and also go much faster through the turns.

[[Porsche 935]]'s dominated early with {{f1|1980}} [[Formula One]] World Champion [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]] winning the [[1982 Australian GT Championship|1982 Championship]] in an entry backed by former race driver [[Alan Hamilton]]'s Porsche Cars Australia (Hamilton was Australia's major Porsche distributor at the time). Porsche won again in [[1983 Australian GT Championship|1983]], this time with [[Rusty French]] driving the 1982 title winning car he had acquired from Hamilton, while both the [[1984 Australian GT Championship|1984]] and [[1985 Australian GT Championship|1985]] championships were won by [[Allan Grice]] and [[Bryan Thomson]] respectively, both driving the ex-[[Bob Jane]] DeKon [[Chevrolet Monza]] with a 6.0 L [[V8 engine]] that produced a reported {{Convert|600|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}}, with Thomson also driving his exotic [[Chevrolet Small-Block engine|Chevrolet V8]] powered twin turbo [[Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107|Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC]] in the 1985 series. The Thomson Mercedes was alleged to produce over {{Convert|1000|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} making it arguably the most powerful race car in Australian motor racing. The downside though was that without a large budget, the Thompson Mercedes suffered numerous reliability problems (usually turbo) and neither Thompson nor his team driver (1985–86) [[Brad Jones (racing driver)|Brad Jones]], or indeed [[John Bowe (racing driver)|John Bowe]] who had also driven the car in the early 1980s while Thompson was in a short lived retirement, were able to show its true potential.

As time went on the usually slower Sports Sedans started to usurp the category as the more expensive Sports Car refugees dropped in numbers. Sports Sedans also became more effective, especially once local racing car factories and professional racing teams like the [[Adelaide]] based [[Elfin Sports Cars]] and K&A Engineering, and top level [[Touring car racing|touring car]] teams such as [[Alan Browne (racing driver)|Alan Browne's]] Re-Car team and former ASSC [[Frank Gardner (racing driver)|Frank Gardner]]'s [[JPS Team BMW]] became involved. As with Appendix K of the 1960s, grids were widely varied with turbocharged Porsche 935s, [[BMW E21|BMW 318i]]s, 5.0 and 6.0 litre [[V8 engine|V8]] powered Chevrolet Monzas, [[Holden Commodore]]s, [[Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV|Alfa Romeo Alfetta]]s, Thomson's lone Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC, Peter Fitzgerald's [[Naturally aspirated engine|non-turbo]] [[Porsche 911|Porsche Carrera RSR]], a couple of [[Jaguar V12 engine|V12]] [[Jaguar XJS]]' and with a variety of sports sedans such as the [[Holden Monaro]] and [[Holden Torana]], [[Ford Falcon (Australia)|Ford Falcon]] and [[Ford Escort (North America)|Ford Escort]], and various turbocharged [[Toyota]]s, [[Nissan]]s and [[Mazda RX-7]]s.

By 1985 the field was mostly Sports Sedans bolstered with recently obsolete (from the end of 1984) [[Group C (Australia)|Group C Touring Cars]] and the championship was run concurrently with the [[1985 Australian Sports Car Championship|Australian Sports Car Championship]]. Veteran driver [[Kevin Bartlett (racing driver)|Kevin Bartlett]] introduced a very quick [[Ground effect (cars)|Ground effects]] [[De Tomaso Pantera]] in 1985 which brought some much needed spice to the GT category.

For 1986 Sports Sedans went their own way. Within a couple of years Porsche drivers had their own series with the Porsche Cup.

===GT3 and GT4===
[[File:Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997 of David Wall.jpg|thumb|The [[Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997]] of 2009 and 2010 champion David Wall at the opening round of the 2010 Australian GT Championship.]]
[[File:Audi R8 of Mark Eddy.jpg|thumb|The [[Audi R8 LMS]] of 2011 champion Mark Eddy]]
[[File:Klark Quinn 2013 AusGT Champion.JPG|thumb|Klark Quinn won the 2013 Australian GT Championship driving a [[Porsche 911 GT3-R Type 997]]]]
[[File:Audi R8 LMS of Geoff Emery & Kelvin van der Linde (Adelaide, 2017).jpg|thumb|Geoff Emery won the [[2017 Australian GT Championship]] driving an [[Audi R8 LMS]]]]
[[File:Mostert-Talbot Ferrari 296 (2024).jpg|thumb|[[Chaz Mostert]] and Liam Talbot won the 2024 championship driving this [[Ferrari 296 GT3]]]]
The Australian GT Championship was revived a second time in 2005 after the disbandment of the [[Australian Nations Cup Championship]]. Most of the competing 2004 cars remained eligible for 2005, although the controversial [[Holden Monaro#Motor sport|Holden Monaro 427C]]'s which had won the two [[Bathurst 24 Hour]] races in [[2002 Bathurst 24 Hour|2002]] and [[2003 Bathurst 24 Hour|2003]] were a notable exception. This was because the Monaros under Nations Cup rules had been permitted to use the 7.0 litre, 427 cui [[GM LS engine#LS6|LS6]] Chevrolet V8 engine that had been used successfully in the [[Chevrolet Corvette C5-R]], while the road going CV8 Monaros only came with the 5.7-litre [[GM small-block engine#Generation III (1997–2007)|Gen III]] V8. The Australian Porsche Drivers Challenge (the former Australian Porsche Cup) also was merged into the GT Championship.

The FIA GT3 regulations, like those in use in the [[FIA GT3 European Championship]] was the core of the new series. The series vehicles reflected GT3, Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, the controversial Mosler, although series regulations usually specified cars be two-three years old to cut down on costs. Competing drivers are seeded and penalised so as not to flood the series with professional drivers from other categories and increasing there has been an emphasis on longer races, sometimes allowing for more than one driver per car.

The series has grown steadily, helped by the transition of the [[Bathurst 12 Hour]] race from a production car race to a GT race. Manufacturers have diversified widely from its mostly Porsche base and in addition to the 12 Hour has also seen the creation of other long-distance races, the [[Phillip Island 101]] and the [[Highlands 101]] in New Zealand.

The Australian GT Trophy Series was introduced as a support series in 2016, featuring older-specification GT3, GT4, Challenge and [[MARC Cars Australia|MARC]] cars. GT4 cars will be integrated into the main championship in 2018.

In 2020, [[Australian Racing Group]] and [[SRO Motorsports Group]] jointly took over management of the category, renamed it "GT World Challenge Australia" in alignment with their other [[SRO GT3]] categories around the world, and ran events as part of the ARG-run [[SpeedSeries]] event series.<ref name="sro-takeover-gt">{{Cite web |last=Herrero |first=Daniel |date=2023-10-24 |title=SRO proclaims full takeover of GT World Challenge Australia |url=https://speedcafe.com/sro-proclaims-full-takeover-of-gt-world-challenge-australia/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Speedcafe.com |language=en-AU}}</ref> SRO took over as exclusive organiser of the series for 2024 series.<ref name="sro-takeover-gt"/> In 2024, the main World Challenge category became exclusively for [[SRO GT3]] spec cars, with a separate set of races for GT4 known as [[GT4 Australia]].

For 2025, with the end of the SpeedSeries, SRO Motorsports Group will run its own event weekends for the GT World Challenge Australia, with support categories including [[GT4 Australia]] and [[Radical Cup Australia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miles |first=Thomas |date=2024-09-10 |title=SRO Takes Over SpeedSeries |url=https://autoaction.com.au/2024/09/10/sro-takes-over-speedseries |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=[[Auto Action]]}}</ref>

==Circuits==

; Current

* {{flagicon|VIC}} [[Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit]] (2005–2019, 2021–present)
* {{flagicon|NSW}} [[Sydney Motorsport Park]] (2005–2015, 2018, 2020, 2023–present)
* {{flagicon|QLD}} [[Queensland Raceway]] (2005–2007, 2013, 2016–2017, 2022–present)
* {{flagicon|VIC}} [[Sandown Raceway]] (1983–1984, 2007–2008, 2010–2011, 2014–2020, 2022, 2025)
* {{flagicon|South Australia}} [[The Bend Motorsport Park]] (2018–2019, 2021–2022, 2024–present)
* {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Hampton Downs Motorsport Park]] (2016–2018, 2025)

; Former

* {{flagicon|South Australia}} [[Adelaide International Raceway]] (1982–1985)
* {{flagicon|VIC}} [[Albert Park Circuit]] (2008–2010, 2016–2019)
* {{flagicon|Tasmania}} [[Baskerville Raceway]] (1982)
* {{flagicon|VIC}} [[Calder Park Raceway]] (1963, 1982–1985)
* {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Highlands Motorsport Park]] (2013–2016)
* {{flagicon|NSW}} [[Homebush Street Circuit]] (2009, 2012)
* {{flagicon|QLD}} [[Lakeside International Raceway]] (1962, 1982–1985)
* {{flagicon|South Australia}} [[Mallala Motor Sport Park]] (2006)
* {{flagicon|NSW}} [[Mount Panorama Circuit]] (1960, 2006–2007, 2009–2011, 2013, 2019–2024)
* {{flagicon|NSW}} [[Oran Park Raceway]] (1982, 1985, 2006–2007)
* {{flagicon|QLD}} [[Reid Park Street Circuit]] (2011, 2014–2017)
* {{flagicon|South Australia}} [[Adelaide Street Circuit]] (2007–2013, 2015–2017, 2022–2023)
* {{flagicon|QLD}} [[Surfers Paradise International Raceway]] (1982–1985)
* {{flagicon|QLD}} [[Surfers Paradise Street Circuit]] (2012, 2019)
* {{flagicon|Tasmania}} [[Symmons Plains Raceway]] (1982, 2007)
* {{flagicon|NSW}} [[Wakefield Park]] (2005–2006, 2017)
* {{flagicon|Western Australia}} [[Wanneroo Raceway]] (1982, 2016–2017, 2019, 2023)
* {{flagicon|NSW}} [[Warwick Farm Raceway]] (1961)
* {{flagicon|VIC}} [[Winton Motor Raceway]] (1982–1985, 2011–2012, 2016–2017)

==Champions==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Season
! Champion
! Vehicle
|-
! [[1960 Australian GT Championship|1960]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Leo Geoghegan]]
| [[Lotus Elite]]
|-
! [[1961 Australian GT Championship|1961]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Frank Matich]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
|- 
! [[1962 Australian GT Championship|1962]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[John French (racing driver)|John French]]
| Centaur [[Waggott Engineering|Waggott]]
|-
! [[1963 Australian GT Championship|1963]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bob Jane]]
| [[Jaguar E-Type]]
|- style="background: #dddddd"
! 1964<br />–<br />1981
|colspan=2 align=center| ''Not contested''
|-
! [[1982 Australian GT Championship|1982]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]]
| [[Porsche 935]]
|-
! [[1983 Australian GT Championship|1983]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rusty French]]
| [[Porsche 935]]
|-
! [[1984 Australian GT Championship|1984]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Allan Grice]]
| [[Chevrolet Monza]]
|-
! [[1985 Australian GT Championship|1985]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bryan Thomson (racing driver)|Bryan Thomson]]
| [[Chevrolet Monza]] <br> [[Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107|Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC]] – [[Chevrolet small-block engine|Chevrolet]]
|- style="background: #dddddd"
! 1986<br />–<br />2004
|colspan=2 align=center| ''Not contested''
|-
! [[2005 Australian GT Championship|2005]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bryce Washington (racing driver)|Bryce Washington]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 996]]
|-
! [[2006 Australian GT Championship|2006]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Greg Crick]]
| [[Dodge Viper#Viper ACR|Dodge Viper GTS ACR]]
|-
! [[2007 Australian GT Championship|2007]]
| {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Allan Simonsen (racing driver)|Allan Simonsen]]
| [[Ferrari 360]] GT<br>[[Ferrari 430#F430 GT3|Ferrari 430 GT3]]
|-
! [[2008 Australian GT Championship|2008]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Mark Eddy]]
| [[Lamborghini Gallardo]] GT3
|-
! [[2009 Australian GT Championship|2009]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[David Wall (racing driver)|David Wall]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997]]
|-
! [[2010 Australian GT Championship|2010]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[David Wall (racing driver)|David Wall]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997]]
|-
! [[2011 Australian GT Championship|2011]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Mark Eddy]]
| [[Audi R8 (road car)|Audi R8 LMS]]
|-
! [[2012 Australian GT Championship|2012]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Klark Quinn]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3-R Type 997]]
|-
! [[2013 Australian GT Championship|2013]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Klark Quinn]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3-R Type 997]]
|-
! [[2014 Australian GT Championship|2014]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Richard Muscat]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG]]
|-
! [[2015 Australian GT Championship|2015]]
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Christopher Mies]]
| [[Audi R8 LMS Ultra]]
|-
! [[2016 Australian GT Championship|2016]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Klark Quinn]]
| [[McLaren 650S#GT3|McLaren 650S GT3]]
|-
! [[2017 Australian GT Championship|2017]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Emery]]
| [[Audi R8 LMS]]
|-
! [[2018 Australian GT Championship|2018]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Emery]]
| [[Audi R8 LMS]]
|-
! [[2019 Australian GT Championship|2019]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Emery]]
| [[Audi R8#R8 LMS (GT3) 2|Audi R8 LMS Evo]]
|- style="background: #dddddd"
! [[2020 Australian GT Championship|2020]]
|colspan=2 align=center| ''Cancelled''
|-
! [[2021 GT World Challenge Australia|2021]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Yasser Shahin]]
| [[Audi R8#R8 LMS (GT3) 2|Audi R8 LMS Evo]]
|-
! [[2022 GT World Challenge Australia|2022]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Yasser Shahin]]
| [[Audi R8#R8 LMS (GT3) 2|Audi R8 LMS Evo II]]
|-
! [[2023 GT World Challenge Australia|2023]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Liam Talbot
| [[Audi R8#R8 LMS (GT3) 2|Audi R8 LMS Evo II]]
|-
![[2024 GT World Challenge Australia|2024]]
|{{flagicon|AUS}} Liam Talbot
{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Chaz Mostert]]
|[[Ferrari 296 GT3]]
|-
![[2025 GT World Challenge Australia|2025]]
| TBD
| TBD
|}
{{Clear}}

==Multiple winners==
===By driver===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Wins
! Driver
! Years
|-
! rowspan="2" |3
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Klark Quinn]]
| 2012, 2013, 2016
|-
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Emery]]
| 2017, 2018, 2019
|-
! rowspan="2" |2
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[David Wall (racing driver)|David Wall]]
| 2009, 2010
|-
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Mark Eddy]]
| 2008, 2011
|}

===By manufacturer===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Wins
! Manufacturer
! Years
|-
! 8
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Audi]]
| 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
|-
! 7
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Porsche]]
| 1982, 1983, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
|-
! rowspan="3" |2
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]]
| 1961, 1963
|-
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chevrolet]]
| 1984, 1985{{ref|1|1}}
|-
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Mercedes-Benz]]
| 1985{{ref|1|1}}, 2014
|}

==See also==
* [[Australian GT Trophy Series]]
* [[IMSA SportsCar Championship]]
* [[American Le Mans Series]]
* [[British GT Championship]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* A History of Australian Motor Sport,  1980
* Australian Motor Racing Yearbooks, 1982/83 to 1985/86
* www.camsmanual.com.au
* www.gtchampionship.com.au

==External links==
* [http://www.camsmanual.com.au/pdf/records/1403%20Australian%20Titles%20Q407.pdf CAMS Manual on Line]
* [https://www.gt-world-challenge-australia.com/ GT World Challenge Australia website]

{{Australian GT circuits}}
{{Australian GT Championship years}}
{{V8 Supercar support categories}}

[[Category:Australian GT Championship| ]]
[[Category:Auto racing series in Australia|GT]]
[[Category:Group GT3]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:1963 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:1985 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1957]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1982]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 2005]]