Monochrome GT4 Australia Round 2 Report: Sydney Motorsport Park
The second round of the Monochrome GT4 Australia championship took place at Sydney Motorsport Park within the SRO GT Festival, featuring a competitive grid of 28 cars and the return of reigning Am-class champion Shane Smollen in the #1 Method Motorsport Porsche.
Qualifying Highlights
In the first qualifying session, Jarrod Hughes secured pole position for Race 1 in the #87 JGI Triple Eight Mercedes, achieving a lap time that placed him over half a second clear of the competition. Lachlan Mineeff delivered an impressive performance in the #29 Fisherman’s Wharf Seafood Ginetta, securing third on the grid.
The second qualifying session saw Max Geoghegan in the #25 Method Motorsport McLaren claim pole, followed closely by Tim Leahey in the #22 Ashley Seward Motorsport BMW. Noteworthy was the presence of Am-class drivers, with Smollen and Jacob Lawrence (#32 Randal Racing BMW) strong contenders in a field of elite competitors.
Race 1 Summary
Race 1 began dramatically with a three-wide battle at Turn 1. Hughes maintained the lead briefly but was overtaken by Geoghegan early on. A safety car was deployed on the first lap due to incidents involving the #17 Love Motorsport Mercedes and #33 Randall Racing BMW.
Upon resuming, Geoghegan quickly reclaimed the lead after pit stops, driving his McLaren to a solid victory, finishing four seconds ahead of Hughes. Jake Camilleri, starting 13th, showcased exceptional skill, finishing third after overtaking competitors and nearly catching Hughes for second.
In the Silver-Am class, the #118 DA Campbell Transport Mustang of Crick and Campbell triumphed, while Smollen finished just outside the top 10 in the Am category.
Race 1 Results:
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25 Method Motorsport McLaren (Geoghegan)
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87 JGI Triple Eight Mercedes (Hughes)
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36 Gomersall Motorsport Mercedes (Camilleri)
Race 2 Overview
Race 2 commenced with a pivotal moment as Tim Leahey’s #22 BMW struggled for control at Turn 1. The leaders established a gap, but a safety car was necessitated following a severe crash involving the #12 AR Nineteen Mercedes, with driver John Nikolovski emerging unscathed.
The race resumed before the scheduled pit stops, leading to strategic decisions by the teams. The #35 Miedecke Motorsports Mustang, benefiting from a direct pit strategy, took the lead post-stops, followed by the #22 BMW and the #210 TekworkX Porsche.
In a fierce contest for positions, Burcher in the BMW successfully defended against challenges from Morris in the Porsche. Rylan Gray in the Mustang held on for victory, with Burcher and Morris completing the podium.
Race 2 Results:
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35 Miedecke Motorsports Mustang (Gray)
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22 Ashley Seward Motorsport BMW (Burcher)
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210 TekworkX Motorsport Porsche (Morris)
Championship Standings
Post-event standings reveal the #25 Method Motorsport McLaren leading the championship with 82 points, 16 clear of the second-place #35 Miedecke Motorsport Mustang. The fierce battle for third continues closely, with the #22 Ashley Seward Motorsport BMW edging ahead of the #210 TekworkX Porsche by just a single point.
Monochrome GT4 Australia will return for Round 3 at Queensland Raceway from May 30 to June 1.
