Shahin Wins Adelaide Battle, Talbot Wins Title War

Third place in the final race of the season for Talbot and Christopher Mies was enough for the Shannons Audi pilot to claim his first GT World Challenge Australia title, after finishing second to Shahin in 2022.

It was Talbot and Shahin off the front row for the final race of the season, with the Shannons Audi gaining the upper hand over the EMA Motorsport Porsche heading into the Senna Chicane.

There was a wild moment further back in the pack as Marc Cini, Renee Gracie, Brad Schumacher, and Michael Sheargold going four-wide off the start, with Schumacher nearly getting turned into the wall by Sheargold.

At the front of the field, Talbot and Shahin had bolted, with Shahin diving down the inside of Talbot at turn nine to take the lead on the opening lap, Talbot more than willing to let the Porsche go by.

Shahin pulled the gap out to nearly two seconds over the Shannons Audi, as the South Australian was doing everything he could to pinch second place in the championship from Geoff Emery, who was running third in the Jamec Racing Audi.

However, Talbot would close the gap at the end of the stint, and was right on the tail of Shahin’s Porsche when they both came to the pits at the end of lap nine to serve their compulsory pit stops.

With respective international co-drivers Matt Campbell and Christopher Mies installed for the run home, the EMA Porsche left the pits with a three second advantage by virtue of it’s shorter compulsory pit stop time.

Mies would close the gap on Campbell over the next five laps, before a brush with the wall at turn seven on lap sixteen saw the German ease off and focus on bringing the Audi home in order to seal the championship for Talbot.

Mies would do just that, easing off and letting the Jamec Racing Audi of Max Hofer through for second on the final lap, thus securing second in the championship for Hofer’s co-driver Geoff Emery.

The Shahin/Campbell Porsche would cruise to victory by nearly ten seconds, securing the round win for the EMA Motorsport / The Bend Motorsport Park Porsche in Shahin’s home event.

The Am class was won by Brad Schumacher, who officially claimed his Am class title with fourth outright for Schumacher Motorsport, ahead of GT3 Trophy champion Renee Gracie who enjoyed a fine debut weekend in the Am class in her Only Fans Audi.

The GT3 Trophy win went to Marcos Flack in tenth outright, ensuring a sweep of the GT3 Trophy wins in his debut weekend for Sonic Motor Racing Services.

The final Invitational win of the season went to the MRA Roofing & Construction MARC II Mustang of Darren Currie and Geoff Taunton in eleventh outright.