Porsche has joined Mercedes-AMG and Audi as a victorious manufacturer in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS as Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson took full advantage of series leader Liam Talbot’s misfortune.

Talbot’s Shannons Insurance Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 led off the line, but an off while holding a handy margin at Turn 7 demoted him to second courtesy of stablemate JAMEC Racing and Geoff Emery.

Bad luck for Talbot continued when lapping Justin McMillan in the M Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, the pair collided exiting Turn 7 and the resulting damage forced both into retirement.

This opened the door for Shahin and Patterson on account of a shorter pit stop time exiting the lane in the effective lead as an entertaining battle for second was held behind.

Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim held the ascendency from older brother Prince Jefri during the opening stint and as both remained in touch with the leaders when the pit stops were taken at the halfway mark of the 60-minute race.

Jamie Whincup took the reins of the Triple Eight Race Engineering from Prince Abu Bakar, but had a battle for his entire stint as Christopher Mies in JAMEC Racing Audi placed intense pressure on him for lap after lap.

Another concern for the battling duo was Whincup’s teammate Richie Stanaway closing in, but in the end the New Zealander ran out of time.

Jayden Ojeda sharing the Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Ross Poulakis was fifth from Jordan Love and Tony Bates in the similar Makita entry as lead Am Class contender Brad Schumacher followed the duo in his Fuchs Audi.

Matt Stoupas and Paul Stokell placed eighth in the KFC Audi ahead of Garth Walden and Michael Sheargold sharing the RAM Motorsport Mercedes-AMG after a clash, which knocked Ash Samadi off the road inside the last five minutes.

Brett Hobson and Michael Bailey finished just outside the top 10 in the GWR Australia Mercedes-AMG ahead of OnlyFans-supported Renee Gracie in the GT Trophy specification Audi R8 LMS GT3 Ultra, Launch Racing/MC Labour’s Michael Kokkinos were all one lap down on the leaders after the latter was involved in an incident with McMillan delayed him early in the race.

The sole GT4 entry of Mark Griffith finished six laps down to round out the field.

Shahin and Patterson sealed the first Porsche victory in Australian GT racing since 2018, plus the maiden win for the marque in the new era.

Race two

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.