Australian GT unveils revamped calendar for 2018

The 2018 Australian GT season will take in a brand-new event as part of a revamped eight event calendar.

One of Australian motorsport’s most popular categories, the Australian GT season will start at the country’s biggest motorsport event at the Rolex Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in March.

It’s the first round of a calendar which takes in a mixture of sprint and endurance events, with the Australian GT Trophy Series joining the Australian GT Championship field at three sprint format events.

The Australian GT Championship starts on the streets of Albert Park as the fan-favourite category returns in support of Formula 1 at Australia’s biggest motorsport event.

It’s the perfect launching pad for the season, with the world’s most iconic automotive brands represented in Australian GT and the F1 paddock.

Australian GT will then be among the first cars on track at the brand-new The Bend Motorsport Park circuit near Tailem Bend in South Australia.

The world-class facility will host the first endurance race of the season, with the Australian GT Championship taking in the 7.7km configuration of the venue.

It will be the first national motorsport competition held and the new world-class facility in what is expected to quickly become a blue riband event.

Australian GT racing the switches back to the sprint format, taking in the historic Sandown Park Raceway in Victoria, where the Australian GT Championship will again be joined on track by the Australian GT Trophy Series.

As the season moves into its second half competitors will return to Phillip Island, a 101-lap race making up the second endurance event of the year.

It will be a double-header weekend of Australian GT action with Round 3 of the Australian GT Trophy Series acting as the curtain raiser.

Sydney Motorsport Park will host the final sprint round of the year, before the Australian GT Championship heads to Hampton Downs for its season finale in October.

The Australian GT Trophy Series finale will be held at Winton Motor Raceway in September in a standalone event for the series.

Adding to the interest for 2018, Australian GT welcomes GT4 cars into its top tier competition, with competitors set to race in their own class within the Australian GT Championship, adding further depth and diversity to the category.

“We’re excited about the 2018 season and look forward to seeing the diverse and exotic machinery on track as fans have come to expect from Australian GT,” said category manager Ken Collier.

“By bringing the sprint and endurance formats together under the one umbrella we make the category easier for fans to follow and mirror the approach used successfully in Europe.

“The Australian Grand Prix is fantastic and one our teams and drivers really enjoy, and it’s great to be part of such an important event on the Australian motorsport calendar.

“We then head to The Bend in South Australia for what is going to be a phenomenal weekend to help open that fantastic facility.

“It’s a world-class venue that will really suit our cars and I believe will quickly become one of the best events of the year.

“The growth of the Australian GT Trophy Series has also been very encouraging, and we’re looking forward to seeing that continue throughout 2018.

“We’ll also welcome GT4 into the Australian GT Championship, a category we believe will play an important part in the future of GT racing globally, so it’s fantastic to offer competitors a national platform on which to race.”

Australian GT will enjoy strong coverage, with free to air, subscription, and live stream options allowing fans to enjoy every round of the 2018 campaign.

CAMS Australian GT Championship

Rnd Date Venue Format
1 March 22-25 Rolex Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, VIC Sprint
2 April 14-15 The Bend Motorsport Park, SA Endurance
3 May 12-13 Sandown Park Raceway, VIC Sprint
4 June 2-3 Phillip Island, VIC Endurance
5 August 4-5 Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Sprint
6 October 13-14 Hampton Downs, NZ Endurance

CAMS Australian GT Trophy Series

Rnd Date Venue
1 March 22-25 Rolex Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, VIC
2 May 12-13 Sandown Park Raceway, VIC
3 June 1-2 Phillip Island, VIC
4 August 4-5 Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW
5 September 1-2 Winton Motor Raceway, VIC