The start of Sunday’s GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS race at The Bend Motorsport Park. Image: Race Project
Allegations of a technical breach were levelled at four Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries at The Bend Motorsport Park, which threw the weekend into chaos.
It was alleged that four of the five Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries had failed to comply with homologation documents, namely by failing to have knockback springs in place in front brake calipers.
The cars implicated were the #47 of Theo Koundouris and James Koundouris, the #55 of George King and Marcel Zalloua, the #66 of Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti, and the #111 of Grant Donaldson.
The results from the first race of the weekend were initially left provisional over the claims. Amid the investigation, officials elected not to enforce compensation times in-race for race two.
Compensation times are applied to the top three class finishes of 15 seconds, 10 seconds, and five seconds for first, second, and third respectively.
It wasn’t until the allegations could not be proven after race two and were ultimately dismissed that officials applied the compensation times retroactively to Sunday’s race.
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Race one on Saturday was won by BRM Motorsport’s Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser in the #268 Audi R8. Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte were second in the #26 Ferrari 296 while Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher were third in the #888 Audi R8 out of Melbourne Performance Centre.
Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti won Sunday’s GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS race at The Bend. Image: Race Project
Ojeda and Lucchitti won race two on Sunday for Tigani Motorsport in its #66 Mercedes-AMG ahead of Feeney and Schumacher. Evans and Schutte were third ahead of the other MPC-run #88 Audi R8 of Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks.
Once the allegations were thrown out, compensation times were added to seven cars – including #268, #26, #888, #47, #181, #16, and #24. That meant Evans and Schutte dropped to fourth, Feeney and Schumacher dropped to third, and Wood and Brooks were lofted to second from fourth.
Prior to the second race beginning, Ojeda foreshadowed the post-race results change.
“You’d say GT racing is already as complicated as it is with the pit stop penalties, then for everyone that gets it we take the pit stop penalty away and then add it after the race,” he said on the 7plus broadcast.
“I don’t know. Maybe by the time we’re back in Adelaide we’ll find out actually who’s won the race.”
It was alleged that the cars were in breach of Article 10.3.3 of the International Sporting Code of the FIA but stewards deemed the allegation could not be proven.
Four stewards’ decisions were published on Tuesday. The reason across all four cars was identical, which can be read below:
During the Parc Ferme after Race 1, the Technical Delegate sealed the front brake calipers in several cars. The same calipers were used by those cars in Race 2. During the Parc Ferme after Race 2, the calipers were dismantled.
In 4 cars, including this competitor, the calipers were not fitted with knockback springs behind the pistons. The Stewards hearing, which commenced at 17.15 on Sunday 7th September 2025, was conducted contemporaneously in respect of this competitor and the 3 other cars alleged to have failed to comply with the relevant homologation documents.
All cars the subject of the alleged breach, were Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo cars. The defence of the allegations and evidence on behalf of each competitor was provided by representatives of each team. The evidence and submissions in support of the alleged breaches was provided by the Technical Delegate, Stephen Page, and a technical team member.
It was contended that the springs were required to be fitted as they formed part of a complete caliper and were clearly identified and described in a Mercedes-AMG Technical Information document provided to the hearing. All parties agreed that the calipers provided at the hearing were used by each of the competitors during the meeting and that the knockback springs were not fitted to any of the cars.
A caliper, with the springs fitted, from another Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, was tendered to the hearing in support of the contention that the springs were a required component. In defence of the allegations, it was contended that the homologation documents for the relevant cars did not contain any photos or description or specifically mention the knockback springs.
Pages 94-95 of the Homologation Document, which was tabled at each race meeting was provided to the hearing. There was no reference to the Technical Information document being included or referred to in the Homologation Document.
It was argued that it was, therefore, not a document which regulated required the use of these components. Technical Delegate submitted that the FIA homologation document does not identify every specific part number, and were a complete caliper to be purchased, it would have the springs fitted, and that a caliper with the relevant part number would have the springs fitted.
Representatives from the Teams stated that neither the Homologation Document nor the Build Manual for the model contained any information that the springs being included and, further, the rebuilding instructions for the calipers, including fitting seals, made no reference to the springs being included.
Representatives from the Teams argued that there was no requirement for the fitting of the springs, and the fact was that Balance of Performance requirements in other jurisdictions did invoke the requirement that springs be fitted, was supportive of the argument that springs not being required to be fitted. There was no such requirement in the Balance of Performance for this meeting and consequently the competitors were not required to have springs in place.
At 17.45 the hearing adjourned to enable Stewards to deliberate. The hearing reconvened soon after. The Stewards advised the finding that there was no requirement that any document other than the Homologation Document regulated the components to be used. The admitted absence of the springs did not mean the cars competed in a form not in compliance with the Homologation Documents.
The competitors had not breached the relevant regulations. Having given a verbal indication of the findings, the Stewards advised all parties that a detailed decision would be provided in due course.
GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS concludes at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park on October 31-November 31.