GT World Challenge’s QR shootout twist

A Top 10 Shootout with a twist will be invoked for the first time in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS when the series has its fifth round at Queensland Raceway on August 11-13.

The single-car bid for pole will be the first for the series in Australia and is expected to be a highlight of the big Shannons SpeedSeries program at the Ipswich circuit.

While the entries in the Shootout will be the fastest 10 cars from Qualifying 2, with the times set by the nominated Pro driver, the session on Sunday morning will be contested by the nominated Am driver.

It is designed to give the semi-professional Am drivers a chance to experience a single-lap bid for the fastest time, a process usually reserved for Pro drivers.

The result will determine the grid for the second of the one-hour races. Qualifying 1 for the Am drivers will set the grid for race one as is the usual case.

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“Top 10 Shootouts are a fantastic tradition in our sport and there’s no difference when contested by GT cars,” said ARG head of Category Operations Ben McMellan.

“The difference here is that we’ll be giving the Amateur drivers a chance to strut their stuff while the Pros sit and watch from the sidelines.

“It’s the reverse of the norm, but we felt it a great opportunity to give the Ams a chance to experience something they usually have to watch.

“It’s something different in Fanatec GT World Challenge competition and we’re looking forward to the show at Queensland Raceway this August.”

So far Audi with four poles, and Mercedes-AMG with two, have dominated the Pirelli Pole Awards this year.

Liam Talbot has taken two poles and Max Hofer and Geoff Emery one each for Audi among the Am ranks. Meanwhile Broc Feeney and Jayden Ojeda have split the Pro driver poles for Mercedes.

Race 1, the Shootout, and Race 2 will all be broadcast live on Stan Sport as well as on demand.

Prior to the Queensland round, the GTs will be at Sydney Motorsport Park for Round 4 on July 28-30.