Impressive Aussie Performances in Europe

European Le Mans Series – Barcelona

Australian racers have kicked off the 2026 European Le Mans Series season with impressive performances, including a class victory and several top-ten finishes during the 4 Hours of Barcelona.

Tom Sargent was at the forefront in the LMGT3 category, seizing victory with Proton Competition in a remarkable start to the season. This success positions Sargent as a contender for the championship early on, further solidifying his rising profile in European endurance racing, racing alongside teammates Matthew Kurzejewski and Richard Lietz.

Another Australian, Garnet Patterson, also celebrated success by securing second place in LMGT3 with United Autosports.

In the LMP2 category, Jack Doohan exhibited a strong and steady performance, finishing seventh in class with Nielsen Racing while leading the race with just 11 laps remaining.

Unfortunately, a mechanical failure with a broken wishbone slowed Doohan’s car on the final lap, causing the Nielsen Racing #24 to drop several positions before the chequered flag. Ultimately, Doohan and his team closed the event in seventh place in both the LMP2 and outright standings.

Griffin Peebles also held his own in the LMP2 class, displaying competitive pace and engaging in a fierce battle for the lead.

Competing among the frontrunners at several points, the United Autosports entry concluded the race by claiming third place, marking a strong comeback for the team after a challenging start to the weekend.

Meanwhile, James Allen faced difficulties in the LMP2 Pro-Am class, as his Nielsen Racing teammate, Kriton Lentoudis, was caught up in an incident on the opening lap, leading to an early exit for the team.

With the first round completed, Australia’s presence in the ELMS paddock is becoming evident, marked by Sargent’s triumph and Patterson’s podium finish, alongside others securing key early-season points.

The upcoming round is the 4 Hours of Le Castellet in France, set for Sunday, 3 May.

FIA World Rally Championship – Croatia

Taylor Gill delivered a steady and composed performance at Rally Croatia 2026, finishing ninth in the WRC2 class and 12th overall in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

Co-driven by Daniel Brkić, Gill concluded the event nearly five minutes adrift of WRC2 victor Yohan Rossel after a largely trouble-free campaign across the challenging asphalt stages.

Exhibiting careful navigation through Croatia’s notoriously unpredictable roads that even tripped up the lead Rally1 competitors, the Australians managed steady mid-pack stage times to secure crucial championship points, overcoming punctures on the first day of competition.

Following up on his earlier fourth-place finish in Sweden, this result highlights Gill’s growing maturity as he establishes himself in the highly competitive WRC2 class, while Brkić continues to provide focused pacenote support.

The duo is now gearing up for Rally Finland scheduled for late June.

GT World Challenge Europe – Paul Ricard

Jayden Kelly and the Greystone GT team faced an abrupt end at the Circuit Paul Ricard after an incident on the opening lap of the six-hour race.

This incident cut short what appeared to be a promising weekend, following the trio of Kelly, Tomas Pinto, and Josh Rattican showing competitive pace in their Free Practice session.

The #44 McLaren initially recorded the 12th-fastest time in the first qualifying session, improved to tenth in the second, and then clinched second in the third, placing Kelly 13th on the starting grid.

In a more successful outing, Calan Williams and the Oman Racing by Century Motorsport team performed well in the Bronze Cup category, finishing just shy of the podium in sixth place.

Starting the race from 47th on the grid, Williams and his team made impressive progress to finish 29th overall after 174 laps.

The next round of the GT World Challenge Europe will take place at Brands Hatch from 2-3 May.

GT4 European Series – Paul Ricard

Lachlan Evennett celebrated a podium finish in his Pro class debut during Race 1 of the European GT4 Series at Circuit Paul Ricard.

Alongside his co-driver Mees Houbem, Evennett achieved a commendable second place after a strong performance in the initial race.

Starting from sixth, Speedy Motorsport’s Houbem handed over to Evennett, who swiftly surged into podium contention and successfully overtook Alex Papadopulos for second position into turn one late in the race.

The duo concluded Race 2 in sixth place but faced a 10-second penalty post-race for speeding in the pit lane.

Regardless, it was an impressive debut for the 18-year-old from Townsville as he gears up for Round 2 at Monza from 29-31 May.