The CAMS Australian Endurance Championship (AEC) was created in 2016 in consultation with the Confederation of Australian Motorsport to boost what has already been a steadily growing trend of GT racing in Australia.
Contested over four rounds with two in New Zealand, AEC races each have two timed compulsory pit stops and two drivers. Drivers are usually Professional/Amateur combinations however many entries still feature two amateur ranked drivers.
Vehicles eligible for the AEC are restricted to the current specification GT3 cars which are the same as vehicles which compete in worldwide GT3 racing. If the track density limits allow, there will be a number of Invitational vehicles participating in the races however they will not be eligible for AEC points.
The final two rounds of the 2016 AEC will be held in New Zealand. These rounds will include several NZ teams and it is hoped that more NZ teams will join in the Australian GT3 racing events in 2017 and beyond. The Hampton Downs round of the AEC will be the largest motorsport event ever held in New Zealand.
The four rounds consist of:
Round 1: 28-29 May, Phillip Island (Shannons Nationals)
Round 2: 26-28 August, Sydney Motorsport Park
Round 3: 28-30 October, Hampton Downs (NZ)
Round 4: 13 November, Highlands 101 (NZ)
Grant Denyer and Nathan Morcom combined to win the first race of the CAMS Australian Endurance Championship – the Phillip Island 101 - holding on in a nail-biting finish at Phillip Island. With the format not dissimilar to Asian GT, the prospects of a cross-over series has been a tantalising prospect for quite a few years, however with the strength of GT racing in Asia has given the region little reason
Despite this, Australian drivers have been moving into Asian GT racing, with Australian GT class winner Rod Salmon sunning a McLaren 650S GT3 in the GT Asia Series at Okayama in 2015. Likewise, Asian racing powerhouse, Craft-Bamboo Racing are becoming a regular feature at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February.
Australian (V8) Supercars management has opened its significant war-chest to acquire the promotional rights to the Bathurst 12 Hour last year in a deal rumoured to be around $4 million. It was a shrewd move from Australian Supercars CEO, James Warburton, who came under fire earlier this year after controversially re-scheduling the V8 Supercars pre-season Sydney SuperTest on the same weekend as the 12 Hour last February.
The move was seen as in effect a thinly-veiled embargo on Supercar drivers taking part in the fast-growing 12 Hour event (run by James O’Brien). The move however backfired by rubbing Nissan well and truly the wrong way, with the car giant unable to use the services of Nissan-contracted driver Rick Kelly. Ironically, the Japanese manufacturer went on to win the race with its GT-R GT3 that year.
No roses and chocolates then? Not even the most cursory of compliments to the event and how any association V8 Supercars might compliment the wider motor sport landscape in this country?
Nope. And here’s why.
Warburton’s allegiances have always resided exclusively with V8 Supercars, so I would be highly suspicious of any move into GT promotion being anything other than an exercise of subordination with extreme prejudice – what better way to remove your competitor than to absorb them?
With both V8 Supercars and B12Hr organisers both looking to move into Asia (Warburton having recently signed a heads of agreement for four years of racing at the Kuala Lumpur City Grand Prix), Warburton is keenly aware of the need to act fast, less the prospect of an Australasian GT Endurance starts to take root.
O’Brien has had frequent meetings with Blancpain GT and Asian GT Series organiser Stephane Ratel to discuss the probability of the B12Hr joining the Asia GT Series in line with a number of endurance events such as the 12 Hours of Sepang in December.
“I’m confident we will do something”, said Ratel. “But James (O’Brien) will need to confirm this… Our intention is to work together.”
Another man looking to do business with O’Brien is Australian GT organiser Tony Quinn. Quinn also has plans to include five endurance rounds in the championship, with two New Zealand rounds at Hampton Downs and (at his own circuit) Highlands Park. The Bathurst 12 Hour is firmly on Quinn’s radar, but has opted for a deferential attitude, saying: “It’s incumbent on myself to show good form to the V8’s (Supercars) as they’ve got the best show in town regardless of what people say.”
Ratel is keenly aware of the clan-mentality currently escalating down under and understands the need for haste, admitting that “our British GT manager has met with Australian GT Championship and maybe I should.”
It’s certainly nice to feel wanted and there is no man more wanted in Australian motorsport at the moment than James O’Brien. I do wonder however whether his eventual status of either pawn or impresario will ride heavily on which way he swings.
With V8 Supercars incrementally downsizing their V8 engines as to remain commercially road-relevant and increase its ability to attract new manufacturers, the last thing they need is an attractive rival series cutting into their slice of the pie.
As Ratel correctly points out: “When you are part of the bigger picture you will get more teams joining and more manufacturer presence.”
In the race to be in the bigger picture, there are sure to be some casualties. Trouble is, Warburton may just have already orchestrated a coup d’état, not just on sports cars but the future of Australian motorsport.
So what of the future? With the introduction of Stephen Richards BMW M6 GT3, a new Porsche 911 GT3 R for the Walkinshaw Group, a trio of McLaren 650SGT3s for the Bathurst 12 Hour race winning Tekno Autosports squad and at least four AMG GT3s across the board at Erebus Motorsport and Eggleston Motorsports suggest the series is in rude health.
Over the course of the Phillip Island 101 weekend, Managing Director of J’s Consulting, Mr. Hongsik Jeon was seen chatting to various Australian GT teams about the prospect of competing in Korea’s recently launched international long-distance endurance race in Korea, ‘RACE123’, held at Korean International Circuit during April.
“RACE123 is a significant event, as it will be the first international endurance race here in Korea that is promoted by a Korean organiser and not overseas organisers hosting a race event here” said Jeon.
“it is expected to expand the domestic motorsports base with this event, and I will personally be focused on ensuring that this race grows to the likes of the ‘24 Hours of Le Mans’ in France or ‘Nürburgring 24 Hours’ in Germany. RACE123 will grow to become a true representative for international endurance races in Korea, and for the Korea International Circuit. Such race events also help promote our tourism sectors, as well as help elevate opportunities for local and regional businesses.”
A grand total of US$500,000 prize money was awarded to podium winners this year; consisting of five classes (GT3, GTC, Sports Production, Touring Production 1 and 2); of which the overall winner will took home US$200,000 in prize money. With up to 200 drivers from around the world expected to participate, RACE123 is hoping to build into a regular festival of speed as the race will operate in a combined race system without classification.
In the top category of 'RACE123' will be the GT3 class, comprising of GT3 vehicles registered with the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), such as Super Taikyu STX of Japan. The GTC class will see vehicles from supercar one make races such as the Audi R8 LMS Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup, Ferrari Challenge, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series and Trofeo Maserati.
With such a plethora of classes on offer, the event wouldn’t just raise the profile of Australian racing in Asia, but also provide huge opportunities for young Australian drivers without major backing to drive with local Asian teams.
Images: Joel Strickland Photographic