Last year’s GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Pro-Am runner-ups Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte will return in 2026 in the hopes of securing the class title after falling just short last season.

The pair will once again team up with ARGT, formally Arise Racing GT, in one of the team’s Ferrari 296 GT3s, having run together for the past two seasons in GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS and twice coming close to silverware.

First racing together in the 2024 season, the duo scored three podiums in the first four races, including their debut outing, before picking up a victory in the penultimate round of the season at Sydney Motorsport Park - eventually settling for third in the standings following 10 races.

In 2025, the pair went to another level and dominated the field across the opening two rounds, converting three pole positions into three victories and adding a podium finish to their four outings – the pair charging to an early lead in the standings.

Over the course of the next three rounds, Evans and Schutte went on to secure four podiums from six races, with their best result being another lights-out to chequered flag victory at The Bend.

Unfortunately, some misfortune prevented them from securing the class title as they fell short by just four points; however, foundations were further laid for another proper charge in their third attempt. Outside their GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS crusade, both drivers have had successful stints across a range of international and national series.

For Evans, the New Zealander made a name for himself in the Porsche Motorsport Australia pyramid, debuting in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia Series in 2015 and quickly establishing himself as a front-runner before graduating to the popular Porsche Carrera Cup Series, where he won the title in 2018 with six wins and a number of podiums.

His success landed him a place in the highly esteemed Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe, which he won and earned him drives in the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, where he finished as the top rookie before winning Porsche Carrera Cup France in 2020.

Following on from his 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup title, Evans soon switched to GT racing, where he would win the inaugural Nürburgring 12 Hour before coming back to Australia to race in Supercars, where he competed with Brad Jones Racing until the end of last season.

Schutte’s national career began at the start of the decade and was primarily in open-wheel cars before making the switch to GT machinery. A brief run in the Australian Prototype Series was quickly followed by an impressive two-year stint in the Radical Cup Australia Series with Arise Racing, where he was a regular on the podium.

His best campaign came in 2023 when his consistency earned him second place in the overall standings. Schutte then made the step up to GT World Challenge Australia with ARGT, sharing the team’s Ferrari 296 GT3 with Evans before the pair teamed up with Alessio Rovera and Brad Schumacher in the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour, winning the Pro-Am class in the Intercontinental GT Challenge season opener.

The pair begin their 2026 GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS season at this month’s LIQUI MOLY GT Festival Phillip Island on 27-29 March.

"Coming back for a third season with Elliott and ARGT feels pretty special,” Evans said. “We’ve been knocking on the door for the last couple of years - third in year one, second last year - so naturally we’d love to go one better. “The Ferrari 296 is a great car and the team dynamic is second to none! GT World Challenge Australia is never easy, so we’ll keep our heads down, do the work, and hopefully be right in the fight."

"It's great to be back with Jaxon and the ARGT crew for another season,” Schutte said. “We’ve built some strong momentum over the past couple of seasons which leans well to the direction the team is heading this year. “The Ferrari 296 is an incredible piece of machinery and the atmosphere within the team makes it even more enjoyable to be part of. GT World Challenge Australia is always fiercely competitive, but we’re excited for the challenge and determined to push for that top podium this season."

Last year’s GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Pro-Am runner-ups Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte will return in 2026.

Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte to go around again in 2026 with ARGT

Arise Racing GT (ARGT) has kicked off the 2026 season in style, securing back-to-back podium finishes at the Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama Circuit. ARGT celebrated a hard-fought third place in the Bronze class with the Ziggo Sport Tempesta entry #193, while the Pro class #26 entry of Jaxon Evans, Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra battled through adversity to finish ninth outright.

The team struggled to find the right balance across both cars in practice, which placed them in the lower 50% qualifying session. The #193 machine qualified fifth in class, putting it 17th overall, while Evans placed the #26 entry 19th on the grid.

The race began with immediate drama and multiple safety car periods. Evans delivered a standout opening stint, climbing from P18 to P4 in the first two hours. However, an early fuel stop combined with a minor electrical issue forced a slow pit stop for the #26 car, dropping it to 26th.

Meanwhile, the Ziggo Sport Tempesta #193 entry made strong progress from the start, quickly moving into second position in the Bronze class and maintaining competitive pace throughout the early stages.

Repeated safety car interventions disrupted strategies. The #26 car lost track position due to unfortunately timed pit stops and spent much of the race fighting back through the pack, eventually working its way back into the top ten.

After the halfway point, the intensity increased. Wood drove the #193 car into the Bronze class lead, defending strongly before handing back over to Patrise. A major crash over the top of the mountain triggered a safety car period lasting more than 30 minutes. During this time, the #26 crew made a smart double stop for additional fuel, positioning themselves well for the run to the finish.

Further drama unfolded when, after backmarkers were waved through ahead of a restart, a car spun on a blind corner and was collected by the race leader, resulting in a red flag.

The race resumed with two and a half hours remaining and the field tightly bunched. Both ARGT entries were inside the top ten and in contention. The #193 car reclaimed the Bronze class lead during hard-fought battles before slight contact with the wall at Turn 2 caused alignment damage, affecting handling for the remainder of the race.

Both cars later lost ground after pitting from sixth and eighth positions respectively, only for another safety car to be deployed shortly after, allowing competitors to gain advantage under full course yellow conditions.

In the final stages, Serra and Wood were behind the wheel. Despite challenging handling, Wood delivered an impressive drive to secure third place for the Ziggo entry in the Bronze class, holding off a fast-charging Porsche to seal ARGT’s second consecutive Bathurst 12 Hour podium. Serra brought the #26 entry home in ninth outright after a relentless race of recovery and strategic gambles.

Jordan Oon, Team Principal of Arise Racing GT, said: 

“To come away with back-to-back podiums at Bathurst is something we’re incredibly proud of. It wasn’t an easy weekend, we struggled for balance early and had more than our fair share of bad luck, but thankfully it wasn’t detrimental for us. 

The entire team executed under pressure, especially with the strategy calls during those long safety car periods. The drivers showed resilience all day, and for the #193 crew to fight through damage and still secure P3 in Bronze is a fantastic result.

The #26 car deserved more on the day, but finishing ninth outright after everything thrown at us shows the strength of this team. It’s a solid foundation for the 2026 season.” 

Sponsors: ARGT extends sincere thanks to its valued partners - Barbagallo, Iveco Australia, Car Expert, ORAFOL, Anthem Workwear, Lift Off, OMP and VCM Coffee & Machines - for their continued support throughout the 2026 season.


Arise Racing GT (ARGT) has kicked off the 2026 season in style, securing back-to-back podium finishes at the Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama Circuit. 

ARGT Revs Into 2026 Securing Back-to-back Bathurst 12-hour Podiums

A UNIQUE pairing between Ferrari teams from both sides of the equator has confirmed plans for the upcoming Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour this February.

Successful European GT squad, Ziggo Sport Tempesta will join forces with Arise Racing GT to enter a Ferrari 296 GT3 for the February 13-15 event.

The Ziggo Sport Tempesta by ARGT entry represents Arise Racing GT’s defense of their 2025 Pro-Am race victory, while it’s Ziggo Sport Tempesta’s Australian racing debut following years of top-level competition in key GT3 series and races around the world.

The team has locked in an international driving combination that will see Supercars ace Ryan Wood joined by British driver Christoper Froggatt, Hong Kong based driver Jonathan Hui, and Italian young gun Lorenzo Patrese.

Along with the strong quartet behind the wheel, the team has also showcased their 12-Hour livery which features the bright Orange and White of the Ziggo Sport branding familiar to GT racing fans.

Tempesta Racing was founded in 2017 by Froggatt and Eddie Cheever III – the son of Indy 500 champion, Eddie.

They have since formed a powerful combination utilizing Ferrari machinery contesting top-flight GT series and categories across the world.

Patrese, who makes his Bathurst debut this year, is the 20-year-old son of six-time F1 race winner Riccardo Patrese and has rapidly developed his career since graduating from Formula 4 racing – having finished in the top three of both GT World Challenge Europe’s Enduro and Sprint Cups, as well as racing in the IMSA Sports Car Championship and tackling the Spa 24 Hour and Nurburgring enduro with the Tempesta squad.

Hui is no stranger to Sports Car racing, claiming the 2024 GT World Challenge Europe Bronze Cup title, along with scoring class podiums in the Dubai 24 Hour and the Gulf 12 Hour, plus a class runner-up finish in the 24 Hours of Spa.

A late starter to the sport at age 24, Froggatt has built a lengthy CV at top level GT3 events, with his entire career having been behind the wheel of GT3 machinery and includes winning the 2020 GT World Challenge Europe Pro-Am Cup title. 2026 will represent his Bathurst debut.

Wood is a proven force in the Repco Supercars Championship and has recently turned his attention to GT racing, proving fast in the GT World Challenge Australia championship last year, scoring several podium finishes. 2026 will represent Wood’s Bathurst 12 Hour debut.

“I’m incredibly excited to be heading to Mount Panorama for the Bathurst 12 Hour for the first time. It’s a circuit and an event that needs no introduction, and to finally have the opportunity to compete there is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

“We’re arriving with what feels like a very competitive driver line-up and a strong Ferrari 296 GT3 package, supported by local team Arise Racing GT and competing under the Ziggo Sport Tempesta by ARGT banner. It’s a huge challenge, but one I’m genuinely relishing, and I can’t wait to get on track and see what we can achieve together.

“I’m really, really happy for the opportunity the team gave to me to be able to race the Bathurst 12 Hour. It’s my first time doing this race, so it’s absolutely amazing for me. Bathurst is a really wonderful race and a very special track, and I’m really looking forward to try it for the first time. I’m very excited to be there and I can’t wait to get started.”

"I am delighted to start my 2026 racing season at the Bathurst 12 Hour - it's a truly iconic endurance motor race revered by drivers and racing fans around the world. This will be my second attempt to conquer the mountain albeit this time in the Ferrari 296 GT3, a car I know well from the past two seasons of racing in Europe. We also have a very strong line up with Chris, Lorenzo and Ryan supported by Arise Racing GT. I'm confident all the ingredients are there to challenge for the top step in the Bronze Cup category."

“Super pumped to make my Bathurst 12 Hour debut, and equally excited to be joining the Ziggo Sport Tempesta by ARGT team in the beautiful Ferrari 296 GT3. It’s a bucket‑list race and a bucket‑list car to be driving, and getting the chance to take them on together feels incredibly special.

Both teams have an incredibly successful history, and ARGT won the 12 hour in PRO-AM last season, so the momentum heading into this event is huge. It’s the perfect platform to kickstart my 2026 season, and I can't wait to get behind the wheel in a couple of week's time.

Ziggo Sport Tempesta, Arise Racing GT Partner for 12-Hour campaign

Australia

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria, Australia, is set to host Round 1 of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia from 27th to 29th March 2026. This iconic circuit is renowned for its stunning coastal views and fast, flowing layout, making it a favorite among drivers and fans alike.

Round 1 & 2 - Phillip Island

The Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, commonly known as The Bend, is a premier racing facility located in Tailem Bend, South Australia. It hosts the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia, attracting the best GT3 teams and drivers to compete in this prestigious event.

Round 3 & 4 - The Bend

Queensland Raceway, located in Willowbank, Queensland, is a well-known motorsport venue that hosts Round 3 of the GT World Challenge Australia. Known affectionately as “The Paperclip” due to its distinctive layout, the 3.12 km (1.94 miles) circuit features six turns and is renowned for its fast and flowing design.

Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte to go around again in 2026 with ARGT

ARGT Revs Into 2026 Securing Back-to-back Bathurst 12-hour Podiums

Ziggo Sport Tempesta, Arise Racing GT Partner for 12-Hour campaign

Latest News

Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte to go around again in 2026 with ARGT

ARGT Revs Into 2026 Securing Back-to-back Bathurst 12-hour Podiums

Ziggo Sport Tempesta, Arise Racing GT Partner for 12-Hour campaign

GT3 racing is a symphony of speed, where the roar of engines and the hiss of tires tearing through asphalt form a thrilling overture. In this world, cutting-edge technology meets human daring, creating a spectacle that's as much about art as it is about competition.

2026 Drivers

Jaxon Evans

Elliott Schutte

Steve Wyatt

Jordan Love

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Round 1 & 2 - Phillip Island

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