Boccolacci and Talbot snare stunning GT poles

The 2025 GT World Challenge Australia season has arrived in style with Dorian Boccolacci and Liam Talbot taking thrilling poles for the Phillip Island season opener.

The pace was on instantly with four manufacturers in the top four drivers who were covered by 0.07s in a thrilling Qualifying 1.

Alex Peroni led for the majority of the session and appeared to have done enough to secure pole when he boxed with a minute left despite having a 0.0029s buffer.

However, Boccolacci stunned everyone by stealing it with the last lap of the session by a meagre 0.0409s.

Qualifying 2 for Sunday’s race was just as good as the lead changed four times in the final minute alone amongst the Am drivers.

In the end Talbot proved why he was the champion, putting the #1 in P1 in his first drive in the Aston Martin, beating Elliott Schutte’s Ferrari by just 0.0846s.

Qualifying 1

The intensity was high from the moment the green light appeared with the Pro drivers producing rapid times and minimal margins.

Peroni bolted out of the blocks and led the way with a 1:25.5792.

However, he held the position by the skin of his teeth, being just 0.0029s clear of Mercedes backed star Ojeda.

It was more competitive than ever with Jaxon Evans and Boccolacci also all less than a tenth away.

Peroni was one of the few drivers that did not stay out until the end and boxed with a minute left in what proved to be a pivotal move.

Ojeda had a one last late crack but could not improve and having to settle for second.

But the Mercedes was knocked off the front row as Boccolacci stole it at the last possible moment, posting a 1:25.5383 with his final lap.

The first sector was the secret with the final two splits not even his personal bests.

But he still perfected the lap to put the EMA Porsche on pole.

Incredibly just 0.07s covered the top four that also contained Evans, while Broc Feeney was just a tenth away in the #888 Audi and had to settle for fifth.

In his first driver of the #1 Aston Martin, Declan Fraser managed eighth, while Ryan Wood qualifying ninth for his GT World Challenge Australia debut.

Dean Currie was the only driver of the 16-car field not to post a lap and stayed in the pits for the full 10 minute session.

Qualifying 2 

The Am drivers also put on a show with Mark Rosser was the first to fire a 1:28.3192 but that did not last too long.

He was immediately edged out by Paul Lucchitti by 0.0806s, only for Sergio Pires to shoot the lights out.

Pires a second better the firing the first 1m26s lap as Rosser improved to be next best, half a second adrift.

Talbot first showed his speed by jumping to second, but kept chipping away to reduce the deficit to 0.0519s.

Schumacher and Schutte also showed speed to come within two tenths and the Audi driver found the most speed, squeezing ahead of Talbot by 0.02s.

Rosser hit back, improving to second, but only briefly as Schumacher and then Pires immediately reclaimed the places.

This sparked a wild final minute where the pole time kept tumbling.

Schutte purple second sector and went all the way to the top, putting two tenths on the field.

Pires had one last crack but fell just short as many put their hands up.

Schutte, Pires, Schumacher and Rosser all posted strong times, but none could match Talbot.

The reigning champion triumphed with a 1:26.5200, which was enough to take pole by just 0.0846s.

The ultra tight margins set the scene for two competitive hour-long races, with the first starting at 15.30 AEDT.

Image: GT World Challenge

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