Ojeda Joins Lucchitti in Tigani Pro-Am Mercedes-AMG

Tigani Motorsport has announced Jayden Ojeda will partner Paul Lucchitti in its Pro-Am Mercedes entry for this year’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS.

Rising star Ojeda will spearhead the lineup of the team’s No. 66 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, moving across from Volante Rosso Motorsport, while Bronze-rated Lucchitti makes the step up from the GT Trophy category he contested last year.

It follows the 24-year-old’s campaign in the Asian Le Mans Series and his outing in the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, both of which were in a Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG.

Ojeda described joining forces with Tigani as a “no-brainer”, adding: “To stay in a Mercedes-AMG is good. It’s a car that I’ve got to drive and experience a lot over the past 12 months, so I’m looking forward to continuing my learning.

“I’ve really enjoyed the international GT scene with Asian Le Mans at the end of last year and the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour alongside Craft Bamboo Racing was an awesome experience for me.

“I really like the way Paul goes about his racing, he’s very measured and calculated, which is good to see from someone fairly fresh in the sport. I believe he’ll develop well throughout the year and get stronger no doubt about it.

“I think it’s going to be one of the most competitive seasons of Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia ever both in the Am and Pro-Am sides of the field. There is plenty of depth, which is good and at the end of the day we want to be tested against the best, so it will be a good year.”

As well as its Pro-Am entry, Tigani will also have two entries in the Am category, one Mercedes-AMG and one Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.

Sergio Pires and Marcel Valloua will campaign the Audi under the Valmont Racing banner, as per last year, while brothers James and Theo Koundouris share the Mercedes-AMG after making the switch to the brand for the Bathurst 12H.

“It’s a big step for us to run three cars, but it’s one that we are looking forward to,” said team owner Nathan Tigani. “We’re really excited to have a car entered in Pro-Am for the first time, and to have Jayden on board in the Mercedes-AMG will be a good test for us.

“He has scored pole positions and won races in the class, so it’s an exciting challenge for us to replicate that form.

“Stepping up to three cars really means we are also upping the professionalism of the team. Our aim is to become a force against some of the big teams like Triple Eight and Melbourne Performance Centre.”