The Queensland Raceway grid will have an Aston Martin to join the legion of Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Porsche's, and Lotus'
Courtesy of the FIA GT3/DPPI
Round 4 of the 2007 Australian GT Championship at Queensland Raceway (May 26-27) is set to be the most exotic event ever staged by the category.
The Australian race debut of the John Kaias Aston Martin DBRS9 pitted against two Lamborghini Gallardo GT3’s, two Ferrari 430’s, a Ferrari 360, the Porsche marque represented by GT3 Cup Cars, GT3’s, and a GT3RSR, together with another debut appearance by a Lotus Elise GT3 and an Elise model sees the Championship well and truly ‘come of age’.
‘This grid is truly world class, and there is more to come with huge interest and more cars being ordered all the time for the Championship’, Category Manager Terry Little said today.
‘Already this year we have staged great races at the A1 Grand Prix, the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, and at Bathurst, and now we go to Queensland with the best field of truly exotic super cars ever assembled in the nation’, Little added.
The Aston Martin, sponsored by Abcor and General Preston Engineering, has been successfully shaken down at the Winton circuit by both owner/driver John Kaias and John Bowe, and is joined in Queensland by another new car to Championship, namely the Lotus Elise GT3 of Angelo Lazaris.
The Aston Martin is powered by a V-12 5 litre front mounted engine producing 360 kilowatts and uses a 6 speed transmission while the Lotus Elise GT3, weighing in at just 750kg, uses a race tuned version of the Exige road car together with a 6 speed sequential gear box.
Two other new competitors joining the Championship are the Sherrin brothers, Ian and Grant, who will both be driving Porsche GT3 Cup cars.
Adding even more interest is the return of Jon Trende in a re-shelled Porsche GT3 Cup Car following his big accident at the Clipsal 500, while John Teulan has also re-built his Ferrari 430 following an expensive ‘off’ at Bathurst as a result of a drive shaft failure.
The struggle for supremacy in the 2007 GT Championship points tally is also set to continue with current leader Allan Simonsen lining up in the Consolidated Chemical Ferrari 360 against the Natrad sponsored Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 of Bryce Washington who is currently is second position.
While these two may go into the Queensland round as favourites, they can expect plenty of opposition from David Wall (Porsche GT3 RSR), and Ian Palmer having his second outing in his Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.
Australian GT Championship Round 4 Queensland Raceway schedule:
Saturday May 26
Practice 1: 10.30 (20 minutes)
Practice 2: 12.40 (20 minutes)
Qualifying: 14.15 (20 minutes)
Sunday May 27
Race 1: 9.55 (15 laps)
Race 2: 12.20 (15 laps)
Race 3: 14.50 (15 laps)
2007 Australian GT Championship Results (after round 3 of 8 rounds)
1. Allan Simonsen (309)
2. Bryce Washington (273)
3. David Wall (265)
4. Damien Flack (162)
5. Peter Lucas (146.5)
FeedMeSportscars will be at the next Australian GT Round at Willowbank, so look out for our stories directly from the track!