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Liam Talbot and Max Hofer take emphatic win in Perth
After a disappointing opening race at CARCO.com.au, Shannons Insurance drivers Liam Talbot and Max Hofer have converted pole to victory in the final 60-minute event of the weekend in Perth.
Starting the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2, Hofer built an advantage from Jordan Love in the Makita Mercedes-AMG GT3 as the battle for third heated up between JAMEC Racing’s Christopher Mies and the lead Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Jamie Whincup.
It was the German winning the battle as Whincup’s teammate Richie Stanaway remained in touch despite a challenge from the Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport Mercedes-AMG of Jayden Ojeda.
Opening race winner Garnet Patterson of EMA Motorsport slotted into sixth driving the sole Porsche 911 GT3R in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS field.
The order remained until the pit stops as Talbot took over from Hofer at the halfway point as lapped entries made the going tough for the leaders.
Once the driver changes had been made, there was plenty of action towards the backend of the top five starting with Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim tapping the Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport Mercedes-AMG of Ross Poulakis at Turn 4.
Recovering, Ibrahim then tapped Tony Bates at Turn 5 and received a penalty dropping back to seventh.
Talbot managed to take victory as Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia achieved a 1-2, with Geoff Emery taking second in the JAMEC Racing entry, while Prince Jefri Ibrahim completed a strong stint to round out the podium alongside Stanaway in the Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Yasser Shahin and Patterson backed up their victory with fourth from the Am Class victor Brad Schumacher in the Fuchs Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2.
Poulakis and Ojeda were sixth ahead of Ibrahim and Whincup, the Makita Mercedes-AMG of Bates and Love, Matt Stoupas partnering Paul Stokell in the KFC Audi, while Justin McMillan alongside Glen Wood recovered from yesterday to score a top 10.
Mike Bailey combined with Brett Hobson to finish 11th in the GWR Australia Mercedes-AMG leading Michael Kokkinos, who rounded out the Am Class podium driving the Launch Racing/MC Labour Audi and RAM Motorsport’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 shared by Michael Sheargold and Garth Walden.
Ash Samadi was fourth in Am Class, with Renee Gracie completing her return successfully in GT Trophy driving the OnlyFans Audi R8 LMS GT3 Ultra and Mark Griffith likewise in the sole-Mercedes-AMG GT4.
Phillip Island beckons for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS drivers and teams as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries bill on May 12-14.