Holdsworth, Cini Join Sandown Grid in Hallmarc Audi

Megiuar’s Bathurst 12 Hour regulars Lee Holdsworth and Marc Cini will join the GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS grid for next week’s round at Sandown Raceway.

Holdsworth and Cini will pilot the Hallmarc-backed Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, which will compete in the Pro-Am category.

It will mark the first time the pairing has raced together outside of the Bathurst enduro, which they regularly tackle alongside Dean Fiore.

Cini, for his part, contested last year’s season alongside Ash Samadi in the Am category, while former Supercars racer Holdsworth won the Bathurst 1000 alongside Chaz Mostert in 2021.

“I’ve done the Bathurst 12 Hour every year since 2016 with Marc Cini and Dean Fiore in the Audi, so I’m familiar with the car, but it’s my first appearance in the GT World Challenge Australia and I’ve never raced a GT car at Sandown, so I am excited,” said Holdsworth.

“I really enjoy being with the MPC team and driving with Marc. I love the car – it’s amazing to drive and Sandown is a great track for it.

“It’s always a bit of a process getting used to the Audi – especially since I haven’t been in it since February. It takes a little bit to adapt to the seat being on the opposite side, but hopefully muscle memory kicks in from earlier in the year.

“I’m just going out to have a bit of fun and enjoy the weekend being back in a race car. Hopefully we have a clean run and bring home a decent result.

“Looking forward to getting on track with Marc and MPC. It will be a great weekend together and we’ll do our best to bring home a trophy and also sharpen up in the lead-up to the Supercars enduros.”

MPC fields a number of other Audi entries in GTWC Australia this season, including the No. 888 car for Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher that took victory at the most recent round at Queensland Raceway.

Cini added: “I am looking forward to it.

“I’m doing it with Lee Holdsworth, as we always do the 12 Hour together, so it’ll be a bit of fun getting together.

“We’re good friends and we know each other very well. And we fit in the same seat, which is always good. I am also excited to run in the Audi, as it’s a lovely car to drive.

“Right now, I’m just picking and choosing a few rounds this year and it’s a convenient round for us to do at Sandown.

“We don’t really have any expectations for the weekend because I haven’t raced in Pro-Am with that field other than the 12 Hour, which is completely different, so we’ll see after the first couple of practice sessions how we’re going.

“GT World Challenge Australia is going very well, so it will be good to be part of that. SRO Motorsports Australia seem to be doing a good job and hopefully they’ll build from that. I wish them all the best.”