AutoAction
FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE SIGN UP

BLANCPAIN GT CHAMP JOINS MARK GRIFFITH FOR SYDNEY

Blancpain GT Series champ Dominik Baumann joins the Australian GT grid - Photo: Supplied

By Bruce Williams

Blancpain GT Series champ Dominik Baumann joins the Australian GT grid - Photo: Supplied

Blancpain GT Series champ Dominik Baumann joins the Australian GT grid – Photo: Supplied

One of the final pieces of the Australian GT grid for this weekends 501 kilometre race in Sydney has been locked in with the announcement that Mark Griffith has recruited Blancpain GT Series champ Dominik Baumann for the event.

Baumann, who won the 2016 Blancpain GT Series and currently races for Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport, will bring plenty of experience to Griffith’s Hogs Breath Mercedes AMG GT3 this weekend.

“Dominik Baumann has joined us for the event, his first time in Australia,” said team boss and driver Mark Griffith.

“Dominik put his hand up for the mission after a few discussions about our great country from fellow AMG drivers that have visited previously.

“Dinner is booked at Hog’s Breath Cafe so Dominik can enjoy the great food and atmosphere of the brand.

“We want to see if he can eat one of the famous Giant deserts by himself, which is a tradition with the Mercedes-AMG staff that are out here assisting us each weekend we race the car!

“We look forward to a fantastic weekend with Dominik, and his experience and knowledge in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 will certainly be a great help to the team.”

Baumann won’t be the only fresh face on the grid in Sydney. Australian Porsche Carrera Cup racer Dylan O’Keeffe will also make his Australian Endurance Championship debut this weekend. O’Keeffe said.

“It’s always good to do miles in a different car, especially to get thrown out of my comfort zone” said O’Keeffe after his initial test.

“We worked on things like braking, using the aero, that was a big thing compared to what I’ve driven in the past, especially the brake pressure.

“The Audi is one of the best GT3 cars, so I’m lucky in that sense and then got a good co-driver in Dan Gaunt, so it should be a good combo.

“I’m looking forward to working with Dan and getting a good result at the end of the day.”

You can read about the full Australian GT grid here.

Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for updates through out the Supercars round at Sydney Motorsport Park. Also make sure you pick up the current issue of Auto Action magazine for more of the latest news and features.