Heading into the third round of the Australian GT Championship at Phillip Island last month, Erebus Academy graduate and new GT recruit Jack Le Brocq was being understandably cautious about predicting too much from his first event in the iconic silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, but after smashing two lap records, and dominating both races, the approach will be a little different this weekend in Sydney.
“I’m looking forward to it,” the reigning Australian Formula Ford champion said. “I’ve been there a couple of times in a Formula Ford, and up until recently actually held the lap record for the class, so it’s one of my favourites.
“This weekend will be a little bit different though with all that power and aero under me, and with Steven Richards and local star Nathan Antunes added to the entry list, it’s going to be an interesting weekend.”
“Jack’s right, it will be interesting,” Barry Ryan, Erebus Motorsport’s General Manager-Motorsport agreed. “After the way he dominated at Phillip Island, the other teams won’t be quite so forgiving, especially in the early laps, but where he wasn’t really challenged outright – apart from John Bowe in the opening laps of race one – but this weekend things will be different and it will be interesting to see how he fares.
“Breaking the lap record was one thing, and we’re proud to have achieved that so convincingly, but with the track resurface it was hard to really gauge just how quick he was. This weekend though, we have a bit of a known benchmark as the track is the same as last year. The competition will be hot too with Steven Richards jumping back in the McMillan Lamborghini, and with that now upgraded to 2013-spec, Jack will have his hands full.”
“I won’t take any different an approach to Phillip Island,” Jack admitted matter-of-factly. “A steady approach early, then build up to a good qualifying position, then attack early in the race. It served me well last round, but with Richo in the field, added to Bowey’s consistency, I’m sure it isn’t going to be easy.
“And they’re not the only challengers either, because Klark Quinn’s Porsche has been quick in Sydney in recent years, and Roger Lago won a race there last year as well, so it’s certainly going to be interesting.”
Opening practice begins on Friday, July 12 at 10:25am followed by a second session at 1:40pm and a third at 2:55pm. Qualifying kicks off at 11:25am on Saturday (July 13), with the opening one-hour race scheduled for 1:55pm. Sunday’s second one-hour race will begin at 12:15pm.
Source : Australian GT